The Academy’s Time Stop Player

TL/Editor: looloo

Schedule: 5/Week Mon-Fri

Illustrations: Here

The sword he cherished most.

Thud-

It had been inevitably sliced and fallen to the ground.

Fragments of the blade, glinting in rainbow hues, scattered across the floor.

The precious sword he had treasured was shattered and embedded in the ground by someone precious.

In that moment.

“…….”

Even Han Siyoung couldn't hide his troubled heart.

His downcast eyes were fixed on the blade stuck in the ground.

"Go back, Siyoung."

The Sword King spoke.

He quietly sheathed his sword and looked at Han Siyoung, continuing his words.

"You're not fit to be a hero."

“…….”

Han Siyoung's expression remained unchanged.

His gaze still focused on the blade embedded in the ground.

But that was only for a moment.

Raising his head again, Han Siyoung tightly grasped the broken sword.

Quietly gathering his magical energy, he assumed his stance.

"It's not over yet."

Even if the sword was broken.

His eyes were still clear and steadfast.

"You're still the same."

The belief of the child he had watched for so long was unwavering.

Like a giant rock that cannot be destroyed.

And such belief always pointed in the right direction.

Whether his choices were right or wrong, nobody, including the child, could know, but he always seemed to be on the right path.

The Sword King thought of it as 'fate'.

His fate was always pointing in the right direction.

And he believed and maintained it with a strong will.

"You surpass me..."

The Sword King's bitter face slowly calmed down.

Yet, even so, he couldn't concede.

Because the child's belief would eventually lead to death.

The Sword King assumed his stance again.

Though the child had all the qualities of a hero.

The Sword King didn't want him to become one.

Just as the tension was about to rise again between them.

“?!”

Whoosh!!

Suddenly, the Sword King's eyes widened.

The same was true for Han Siyoung.

A tremendous surge of magical energy was felt behind Han Siyoung.

It appeared suddenly, without any precursor.

[A familiar face.]

Simultaneously, a man's voice was heard from behind Han Siyoung.

With the voice came an overwhelming magical pressure.

The arrival of the man completely shifted the magical energy of the area.

As if it was replaced by the man's magical energy from behind.

[So... you know me.]

The man's voice came from nearby.

Yet, Han Siyoung couldn't move at all.

The sheer intimidation of the magical presence.

It had frozen Han Siyoung's movements in an instant.

“You…”

Suddenly, the Sword King's aura, different from before, surged violently.

The Sword King, with a fierce gaze, looked at the man standing behind Han Siyoung and spoke in a subdued voice.

"So you were here after all."

[...You clearly know me, but I cannot remember.]

It was a calm baritone voice.

However, there was an unprecedented dignity in that voice.

[...Wait.]

At that moment, Han Siyoung felt it.

A sensation as if time and space had stopped along with the man's voice.

As if the space around them was synchronizing with the man's emotions.

When Han Siyoung realized this.

Suddenly, the man had moved past Han Siyoung and reached the Sword King.

[I remember now.]

A man with deep purple eyes, golden hair wrapped in a black robe.

His deep purple eyes were fixed on the Sword King.

[When I first arrived in this world, you were the human who tried to kill me.]

With those words, the surrounding magical energy stirred violently.

His presence had already surpassed that of the Sword King in front of him.

[How dare a mere human try to kill a king.]

The human king, Zahart.

He slowly extended his hand towards the Sword King.

[Pay with your death.]

As Zahart extended his hand.

The Sword King’s sword, having reached a state of swift readiness, was unsheathed and swung towards Zahart.

Whoosh!! Clash!!

"Run away! Siyoung!"

The moment the Sword King swung his sword at Zahart, a barrier erected by him blocked his sword.

Zahart's hand was still extended towards the Sword King.

In that instant, sensing danger, the Sword King powerfully kicked to the side to dodge.

Whoosh!! Crack!

Simultaneously, a circular distortion appeared where the Sword King had been standing, quietly forming and then disappearing in an instant. It was as if an invisible sphere had swallowed the space and then vanished, leaving only a neat circular pit on the ground.

The Sword King, having dodged to the side, quickly leaped towards Zahart and swung his sword again.

Clang!!

“?!”

However, his sword was blocked by Zahart’s transparent barrier, the overwhelming power seemingly ineffective. In that moment, the Sword King swung his sword again.

This time, a red aura flowed from her sword, different from before.

For the first time, the Sword King infused his sword with magical power.

Whoosh! Clash!

The sword, sharpened with that intense aura, created a slight crack in Zahart’s barrier.

That was it.

The Sword King precisely thrust his sword towards the cracked part.

Whoosh! Fizz! Clang!!

His sword pierced through the barrier towards Zahart's neck, but it just passed through without any sensation of impact.

The Sword King, pulling his sword back and stepping back, quietly glared at Zahart.

Simultaneously, Zahart approached the Sword King with ease.

As Zahart moved closer, the Sword King swung his sword at him again.

Whoosh!

Her sword swung.

But again, the Sword King felt no sensation of having cut anything.

His body indeed seemed to split in half, but it was more like the space itself had divided his body, rather than his sword cutting through him.

Soon, as the Sword King had anticipated, his body merged back together, and he continued to approach his with leisurely steps.

Zahart spoke.

[Your sword will never reach me.]

"Indeed… you're not human."

Abruptly-

For the first time, Zahart's movement stopped.

He looked at the Sword King with a subdued voice.

[You're wrong.]

At that moment, the space around them began to warp.

A black hole appeared in the void, and space itself started to crack and shatter.

[I am a 'king'.]

He continued.

And the Sword King could feel it.

As his words continued, the surrounding magical energy was being drawn into his grasp.

[I am the end of the human race. I am the King of Humans.]

At that moment.

His hand slowly lifted towards the Sword King.

Simultaneously, something invisible surged towards the Sword King, and his figure was thrown back, crashing through trees.

Thud! Boom!!

“Cough!”

Finally, the Sword King's body hit a rock, coughing up blood.

He slumped to the ground and watched in the direction of the man.

In an instant, the man appeared before the Sword King as if he had moved through space.

The Sword King staggered, using his sword to support himself as he tried to stand up slowly.

Whoosh!

That's when it happened.

The Sword King’s eyes trembled greatly.

It was because of the boy holding the broken sword, standing with his back to her.

"Don't! Siyoung! Run away!"

His disciple, Han Siyoung, was standing in front of Zahart, blocking him with the broken sword.

"Siyoung!"

Despite his desperate voice, Han Siyoung did not respond.

The Sword King, anticipating the worst scenario to unfold, hurriedly tried to get up.

Then.

"Master."

Han Siyoung spoke to the Sword King.

Turning his head along with those words.

At that moment, the Sword King saw Han Siyoung’s face.

His eyes were calm, without any disturbance.

From the time they faced each other, no, since his childhood, Han Siyoung’s expression had remained unchanged.

His face showed a firm resolve.

Han Siyoung was saying.

Trust me.

"I will not leave."

With those words, a brilliant white light burst forth from Han Siyoung’s body.

It created a colossal pillar of light that covered the dark sky and began illuminating the gloomy forest.

[?!]

At the sight of that brilliant pillar of light, for the first time, Zahart’s eyes showed disturbance.

He recognized the existence of that immense light.

[Stigmata...]

The light of the Stigmata.

It meant only one thing.

The boy holding the sword in front of him had attained a new level of existence.

A human at the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

The Sword Saint.

Fwoosh!!

At that moment, a blade of light burst forth from Han Siyoung’s broken sword.

A sharply honed blade of light.

Seeing this, the Sword King’s eyes trembled greatly.

"Siyoung…"

"Please trust me."

Hearing those words, the Sword King understood.

Even though he had broken it, a new blade had sprung forth.

No matter what he said, the child would not give up.

The child, too upright, firmly believed in his choice and would not flee.

Whoosh!!

The brilliant sword of light was swung by Han Siyoung.

At that moment, a sword strike made of pure white light surged towards Zahart.

Zahart extended his hand towards the sword strike, creating a protective barrier around himself.

He deemed it dangerous.

And as he expected.

[?!]

Sssk-

The sword strike flew and cleanly sliced through Zahart's barrier.

The barrier was too neatly cut diagonally.

Simultaneously, Han Siyoung, who had leaped towards Zahart, swung his sword.

Whoosh!!

Like a white thread drawn in the air, a sword line.

Zahart stepped back to avoid Han Siyoung's sword, but a streak of blood trickled down his cheek and dropped to the ground.

The energy that could cut anything he desired.

For the first time, the face of Zahart, the king of humans, contorted.

[You are dangerous.]

Zahart judged.

Simultaneously, a massive aura burst forth from his body, creating a threatening presence.

A purple, ominous aura.

It began to engulf the white light created by Han Siyoung.

He had made a decision, certain of it.

The boy's sword could kill him.

He was convinced that the boy in front of him could kill him.

'I must kill him here.'

The Sword Saint had awakened his power, but he was still just a seed.

Before he grew any further, Zahart decided he must kill him right now.

Zahart extended his hand towards Han Siyoung again.

In an instant, the magical energy engulfing the light began to be drawn into his grasp.

The space around his hand cracked and distorted, forming a massive black hole.

In the face of this ominous energy, Han Siyoung readied his sword of light for defense.

That's when it happened.

Rumble!

The ground started to tremble.

[?!]

At that moment, Zahart's eyes widened.

A presence felt behind him, a being emitting a force capable of causing such a phenomenon.

The dignity of the magic's owner was palpable, and Zahart, who knew the owner, could not help but feel an indescribable intimidation from it.

[Could it be…]

His head turned towards the source of the magic behind him.

Golden light visible between the dark trees.

The owner of the gold-rippling magic was gradually approaching him.

The king of humans, Zahart, knew.

[Horton…]

The greatest of kings, the King of Destruction, was approaching him.