The Academy’s Time Stop Player

TL/Editor: looloo

Schedule: 5/Week Mon-Fri

Illustrations: Here

Huuuum!! Thunk!!

On a tranquil beach, a dull sound echoed across the sand.

Huuuum!!

Struck by Hajoon's hammer, Orgon's body was flung far across the sandy shore.

At that moment, a counter shock came from the opposite direction of Orgon's flight.

"Kheuk!"

Orgon couldn't react.

His attack was bizarrely strange.

It was something beyond mere speed.

The moment his body was visible, an unknown shock was already transmitting through her body.

She was utterly helpless.

Thunk!

"Kaak!"

Meanwhile, Hajoon couldn't help but frown.

The power of destruction.

Hajoon's power to destroy everything was being hindered by Orgon's vast magical energy, reducing it to mere shockwaves.

Orgon's magical energy was indeed vast and dense.

It wasn't exactly neutralizing the power of destruction, but Orgon's vast energy continually shook off Hajoon's power.

However, it was only a matter of time.

It was nothing more than a nuisance and annoyance for Hajoon.

"Let's see how long you can hold out."

Hajoon swung his hammer again.

This time, however, Orgon's body didn't crash into the sand below.

Suspended in mid-air, she was bounced around in every direction, sending countless shockwaves in every direction.

In that state, Orgon could do nothing but be helplessly tossed about.

Then, it happened.

Crack-

"?!"

"……."

A very small trace of impact caught Hajoon's eye.

A faint crack began to appear on Orgon's abdomen.

As Orgon's eyes began to tremble in this situation, Hajoon's lips started to curl upwards.

Despite having the durability befitting a king, she wasn't strong enough to withstand these endless shocks.

Hajoon was about to swing his hammer again at Orgon's abdomen.

But at that moment.

"Kaaaaak! You!!"

Orgon suddenly started to scream.

With Orgon's scream, Hajoon had no choice but to stop.

It wasn't Orgon's scream that stopped Hajoon.

It was because Orgon's boundless magical power suddenly surged and spread around.

"……."

Hajoon's eyes narrowed at the scene that unfolded next.

Orgon's vast magical power was released into the surroundings, causing a phenomenon.

The sand on the beach began to flood with water.

Simultaneously, thunderclouds gathered in the sky, darkening the surroundings.

Crackle-

Amidst the space where lightning struck.

Hajoon found himself suddenly immersed in a vast ocean.

'This is…….'

-Your Majesty, this is Orgon's Imaginary Realm.

Philaten spoke.

Hajoon's brows narrowed.

The Imaginary Realm.

A space that should only exist in Orgon's mind was now materialized in reality.

It was a situation that made no sense as a simple thought.

"Is it really possible to manifest the Imaginary Realm into reality?"

-Regrettably, Your Majesty, you have once before manifested the Imaginary Realm into reality.

With these words, Hajoon, submerged in the water, thoughtfully pondered.

He seemed to recall a similar instance.

The sensation he felt when he killed Poisoner in uncontrollable anger.

It was as if a space that should only exist in the Imaginary Realm had been manifested in reality.

-Back then, Your Majesty, you manifested an unstable Imaginary Realm. However, with your current powers, it should be possible.

Reminded by these words, Hajoon began to recollect that moment's emotions.

The uncontrollable anger, the emotions engulfed in the power of destruction.

At that moment.

The King of Merfolk, Orgon.

She had mounted the head of a gigantic sea monster, resembling a dragon, rising high above the sea.

Moreover, various other sea creatures started emerging from below the surface.

Their types were diverse.

From sea creatures with the form of a dragon, easily over 40 meters in diameter, to those with fish heads and red eyes and limbs.

Various sea creatures, exuding threatening magical energy, surfaced.

In this situation.

Orgon, having unleashed her power, commanded the sea creatures with all her might.

"Kill him! He must not be left alive!"

There were roughly 200 or 300 sea creatures.

In the vast ocean, with no land to stand on.

A situation that would have been extremely dangerous for Hajoon normally.

But Hajoon was just calmly recalling that sensation.

And at that moment.

Golden magical energy burst forth from Hajoon's body, starting to undulate massively.

In this situation, Hajoon's eyes, which were calmly closed, suddenly flashed open.

Eyes flickering with golden magical energy.

[I understand now.]

The sensation he felt then.

Having manifested it once, there was no rule saying he couldn't succeed a second time.

Hajoon then activated Time Stop.

Simultaneously, he stood atop the head of a massive sea creature, using it as a foothold.

Paaaang!!

A tremendous magical energy began to undulate from Hajoon's body.

He calmly placed his hand on the head of the sea creature that served as his foothold.

At that moment.

Huuuum!!

The dragon-shaped sea creature that had been Hajoon's foothold withered away in an instant, leaving nothing but bones as it perished.

This vast energy spread around, affecting the bodies of the sea creatures that had surfaced.

The sea creatures, unable to utter even their last words, turned into bones in an instant.

Simultaneously, the surrounding sea disappeared, leaving a space composed solely of bones.

"?!"

In this situation, Orgon's eyes widened in shock.

"How can a mere human?!"

It was inconceivable.

No matter how much he had inherited Horton's power, it should be impossible for a human to use it at its full potential.

But the scene unfolding around her spoke the truth of what had happened.

He had swallowed Orgon's Imaginary Realm in an instant.

"With that level of magical power, how could you devour my Imaginary Realm..."

She knew it.

Her magical power overwhelmingly surpassed that of the human before her.

Yet, her Imaginary Realm had been devoured.

While she stood in shock at this unbelievable scene.

A woman appeared.

A woman cloaked in a white robe, covering her body.

The moment Orgon saw her, her eyes widened in disbelief.

This was a woman who should not exist here, yet here she was.

"Philaten! How can you be here?! Weren't you supposed to be dead alongside Horton?"

Philaten quietly stood beside Hajoon, starting to glare at Orgon.

She opened her mouth, seemingly angered by her words.

"King of Merfolk, Orgon."

Philaten continued, glaring at the King of Merfolk.

"How utterly laughable. Did you truly believe your magical power was on par with the power of destruction?"

No matter the vast difference in the amount of magical power.

There was a hierarchy.

That's why Philaten was angered.

This pitiful being dared to challenge the king's power.

"Dare you think the Imaginary Realm of a mere merfolk can surpass the king's world?"

"You wretch! A dead being like you has no right to speak!"

Orgon started shouting in anger at Philaten's words.

However, the moment Orgon's anger burst forth and she shouted at Philaten.

Hajoon's figure vanished in an instant.

Whoosh! Thunk!

In a flash, Hajoon reached right in front of Orgon and swung his hammer at her.

Orgon was sent rolling far away across the ground made of bones.

Simultaneously, Hajoon reached out his hand towards the flying Orgon.

In that instant, hands made of bones sprouted from the ground, grabbing Orgon's flying figure, and as Hajoon clenched his extended hand, the bony hands holding Orgon's limbs brought her right in front of Hajoon.

[I think I understand now.]

He seemed to have grasped how to use the Imaginary Realm.

This world was not just a realm that existed in the mind.

It seemed there was a separate world for kings, not just the one he imagined.

"Admirable, Your Majesty."

Philaten began to smile, a rare sight.

Hajoon chuckled and asked Philaten.

[What do you want to do with this one?]

At that question, Philaten's eyes widened in surprise.

She hadn't expected the now king to ask for her opinion.

But as she understood his intentions, a small smile spread across her lips.

She realized her new master understood and respected her thoughts.

Therefore, Philaten answered Hajoon with gratitude.

"Please, grant her an inescapable despair, the most dreadful rest... I ask of you."

She bowed her head towards Hajoon as she responded.

Hajoon simply nodded his head and proceeded with action.

[Understood.]

With those words, Hajoon's hand, raised above, gradually moved downward.

At that moment, the bony hands holding Orgon's limbs started to drag her towards the ground made of bones.

"No, no! Stop this!"

Orgon's body began to be buried in the mountain of countless bones.

Even then, Orgon was thrashing and flailing about.

But despite her struggles, the bony hands did not let go of her limbs.

As her body was gradually buried in the bones.

The last thing seen were Orgon's trembling eyes, before her screams quietly stopped.

Ten minutes later.

Hajoon, rubbing his stiff neck, put Maharazu back into his pocket and turned around. When he dispelled the Imaginary Realm and returned to the original world, Orgon's body was gone without a trace.

"It's over then..."

Hajoon decided to leave the beach.

In the distance, beyond the beach, he could see several agents and the president of the association waiting.

Approaching the president, Hajoon said,

"It's done."

"Really... Thank you, Student Hajoon."

Kim Jeongyong simply bowed his head in gratitude, acknowledging the end of the situation. As Kim Jeongyong bowed, the agents waiting behind him began to bow towards Hajoon.

It wasn't just because the head of the association, Kim Jeongyong, had bowed, but also because the agents were deeply grateful to Hajoon for avenging their fallen comrades, the casualties of this incident.

Their gratitude was not just a formality; they were sincerely bowing to Hajoon.

Even before this, he had always been a hero worthy of respect.

"I was a bit worried and couldn't help but come here, against Student Hajoon's advice. We detected the magical power of numerous sea creatures during your standoff with that unidentified sea creature. I thought maybe we could provide support, but it seems it was unnecessary."

Kim Jeongyong had hurriedly led the association's agents to the beach when they detected the vast magical power of the sea creatures during Hajoon's standoff.

However, their worries were unfounded as there was no sign of the sea creatures upon their arrival.

In any case, it meant that the situation was resolved without major issues.

"Thank you once again."

Kim Jeongyong felt an indescribable gratitude towards Hajoon. Without this boy in Korea, one could only wonder how the situation would have unfolded.

The unidentified monster had killed one top-tier hero, 35 high-tier heroes, and 50 mid-tier heroes among the association's agents - an unprecedented monster.

If there hadn't been such an irregular in Korea, the casualties in the process of subduing it would have been even greater.

With this thought, Kim Jeongyong felt an unspeakable gratitude towards Hajoon.

However, Hajoon merely showed a faint, pleasant smile in response to the association president's gratitude.

Honestly, considering the relationship between Hajoon and the president, such expressions of thanks were rather burdensome.

Being well-acquainted for a long time, Hajoon also trusted him and had received various kinds of help.

"You've had it tougher than me, Mr. President. Really."

"Student Hajoon..."

Kim Jeongyong, seemingly moved by his words, looked at Hajoon with eyes moistened with emotion.

He slightly raised his hand to wipe the faint moisture from his eyes and spoke politely.

"I will escort you home with all due respect. Let's go."