The Academy’s Time Stop Player
chapter-42

It was a late start to the workday, 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

Dragging her feet towards the office, Han Jayul, the assistant to the guild master, appeared tired. Her eyes were bloodshot. She wiped her face as she moved with a heavy gait.

Just two days prior, she had worked throughout the night and had started late due to exhaustion. She walked straight into the office, sank into the chair, and began her work.

Although she wasn't strong or powerful physically, she managed all the guild's administrative tasks due to her skill set being perfect for office work.

'Sigh... Oh, today was the day, wasn't it?'

As she stared blankly at the computer monitor, she remembered that today was the sidekick's field training day.

Could she already be on patrol with Ah-han?

Immediately, Jayul checked the list of students who had come for this round of field training.

Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise.

"What?!"

Haruna Ruel, Dan Yeseul, Kim Hajoon.

Truthfully, she didn't expect all three of those she had nominated to pick this place.

Even though she nominated them, the students still had the final say.

The issue was the unexpected name among the students.

"Wait? What?!"

Kim Hajoon.

Her surprised eyes were now focused on Kim Hajoon.

"Is this for real?"

'Kim Hajoon'.

This was the name of the student who had greatly shaken up the current hero society.

The boy who surpassed Han Siyoung, dubbed a monster among the students, to claim the top spot.

Moreover, he was the boy most often labeled as an 'Irregular'. His strength was unbelievable for a boy of his age.

"I didn't think he would really show up."

Of course, she didn't nominate Kim Hajoon thinking he would actually come.

Most likely, all the heroes who nominated Kim Hajoon had the same thought.

Most heroes had nominated him to see the face and skills of the rising star and, or to propose guild recruitment.

Of course, most must have thought that Kim Hajoon would select the top-ranked hero in Korea...

"No time to waste!"

Quickly, Jayul took out her smartphone and dialed Jin Ahhan.

But all she received was the frustrating sound of the phone ringing.

"Argh! Why isn't she picking up!"

Meanwhile, Jin Ahhan and Dan Yeseul were hot on the tail of a villain.

The villain was astonishingly fast.

So fast, in fact, that despite Jin Ahhan and Dan Yeseul's pursuit, they couldn't bridge the gap.

"Seems like we're dealing with a speed specialist."

"............"

"Hero Jin Ahhan?"

"Huh? Oh, right."

However, as they continued chasing the escaping villain, Jin Ahhan couldn't shake off a feeling of puzzlement.

This was because it seemed like the villains were not so much trying to escape them but more like stalling or guiding them somewhere.

Indeed, their escape route was straightforward.

They kept circling one location, appearing completely at ease and unhurried.

'What's happening............?'

Feeling something strange, Jin Ahhan decided to keep up the pursuit for the time being.

Finally, they reached a dead-end alleyway.

Cornered in a dead-end, the two villains merely turned and blankly gazed at the blocked wall.

"Phew............, really bothersome............?!"

"Huh, what?"

Before long, the expressions of Jin Ahhan and Dan Yeseul hardened.

This was because the two villains suddenly turned around and stared at Jin Ahhan and Dan Yeseul.

There was no emotion in their expressions.

Their eyes were wide open to a frightening extent, and their pupils dilated.

And faces flushed red.

"Kheugh!!"

"Kaaahh!!"

Suddenly, the two villains started convulsing in pain and began to vomit blood.

As they spewed blood like a fountain, their eyes rolled back, and they fell to the ground. Jin Ahhan and Dan Yeseul gradually froze in response to the horrifying scene.

"What, what on earth?!"

Jin Ahhan hurriedly approached the vomiting villains.

Blood flowed from every orifice in their faces, and the muscles in their legs, including the tendons, were dyed a deep purple as if they had been severed.

Jin Ahhan soon noticed something peculiar about the villains.

"This is impossible............"

Their bodies were average.

There was nothing exceptional about them for superhumans.

Moreover, the most crucial point was that he couldn't detect even a hint of magic power from them.

Just bodies closer to ordinary people, not superhumans............

Jin Ahhan's expression began to harden seriously.

"Ordinary people............"

Meanwhile, after Hajoon disappeared, Haruna approached the old man who slowly sat on the bench with a puzzled expression.

As soon as she recognized the old man's face up close, Haruna's face began to brighten with joy.

"Grandfather!"

As soon as the old man saw Haruna, he greeted her with a warm smile.

"I didn't expect to find my cute granddaughter here. Have you been well?"

"Yes!"

Haruna cheerfully sat down next to the bench where the old man was sitting.

Still wearing his kindly smile, the old man was feeding the pigeons.

The old man asked,

"So, are you enjoying school life?"

"Yes!"

"Heh, I'm glad."

The old man was Haruna's only family.

By chance, she had stumbled upon her grandfather taking a stroll in the park, and she had unknowingly rushed over here.

Haruna's smile was a stark contrast to her usually stern expression.

The only person she could truly open up to, the only one she could comfortably show her emotions to, was her grandfather.

"So, have you made many friends?"

"Uh, about that..."

Haruna hesitated momentarily before responding.

Seeing her pause, the old man began to smile knowingly.

He attempted to comfort her, concealing his emotions as he stroked Haruna's hair.

"It's okay, it's okay. Friends come naturally as you live."

"Um...Yes. But I'm not sure about it. I don't even know if I have to make friends."

The old man continued to feed the pigeons with his kind smile.

However, at Haruna's sudden confession, his hand abruptly stopped, and his smile froze.

"Ah! I have one! I have a precious friend."

"A precious friend?"

His head slowly turned toward Haruna.

The corners of his wrinkled eyes slowly lifted as he started to gaze at Haruna.

"Yes! The girl who was by my side earlier has been taking good care of me."

"A girl? Are you talking about the girl wearing glasses?"

"Yes!"

"Ho, I see..."

He simply nodded slowly, closing his eyes gently as he lost himself in thought.

Shortly thereafter, he opened his eyes and looked at Haruna, asking,

"Do you have any other friends that you like?"

"Um... It's not so much a friend, but there's a kind kid who shared food with me."

"I see, and the name is...?"

"Kim Hajoon."

"Kim Hajoon?"

For the first time, confusion began to creep onto his face.

"Is it a boy?"

"Yes! He was the kid next to me earlier."

Despite Haruna's cheerful response, he began to seriously ponder while rubbing his chin.

He then looked at Haruna and spoke with a serious face.

"Haruna. It would be wise to be careful with that kid."

"Huh? Why?"

"One cannot judge a person by their appearance. Even if he's nice to you, he could unexpectedly have a bad nature."

She hadn't really considered whether he was good or bad.

Just a simple relationship where they exchanged food?

She thought it was an ordinary relationship, neither close nor distant.

However, she mentioned Hajoon because she didn't want to worry her grandfather.

Of course, there was that, but honestly, from what she saw, Kim Hajoon wasn't a bad kid.

He just seemed extremely lazy, but she didn't get any bad vibes from him.

Therefore, Haruna voiced her honest feelings to her grandfather.

"I don't think that's the case, grandfather."

"Haruna?"

"He did share his food with me, after all."

The old man looked at Haruna with a slightly flustered expression.

When Haruna tilted her head due to the ensuing silence, the old man soon stroked her head with a gentle smile again.

"I see, I see. If you think so, then it must be true."

"Yes!"

"Hehe."

He slowly stood up from his seat while continuing to stroke Haruna's head.

Haruna, staring blankly at her grandfather, eventually rose from her seat.

"Is it time? You were in the middle of your learning session, right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"You should head back. The hero will be searching for you."

"Oh..."

Haruna's face fell a bit at this.

The old man, smiling kindly at Haruna, spoke up.

"I've got my own tasks too, so don't feel too let down. We'll meet again."

"Oh! Okay, I understand."

"Good. Be careful."

"See you next time, grandfather!"

With a wave of her hand, she left the old man, her bright smile fading as she went.

As Haruna left, the old man watched silently. Soon, he murmured to himself as he looked towards the park's lake.

"That child's friend..."

A shadow spread across the old man's face.

His kind smile disappeared, replaced by a stern look. He began to ponder, gazing at the peaceful lake.

"Shouldn't have sent her to the Academy..."

"What do I do now..."

The old man was unsure.

The child was starting to form valuable connections outside of him.

Emotions she had once hidden were starting to resurface.

He hadn't anticipated her disregarding his words.

Could it be due to her 'divine power' growing as she matured?

"Was his name Kim Hajoon..."

From the boy's actions, it seemed he took an interest in Haruna.

From Haruna's expression, it seemed she hadn't noticed the boy's feelings yet.

Nonetheless, it might be better to deal with potential issues ahead of time.

The situation was ripe.

"He must be eliminated..."

Or brainwashed.

It wouldn't matter if it happened outside of the Academy.

The old man slowly turned away from the lake.

And as he did, a boy was standing before him.

"You are..."

Upon seeing the boy, the old man's eyes widened in surprise.

He recognized the boy's face.

The boy he had just been talking about.

Kim Hajoon.

The boy stood in front of him, his gaze steady.

The old man quickly concealed his surprise and approached Hajoon with a gentle smile.

"You are certainly the boy who was with Haruna. As for Haruna, she has already gone-"

"Your Highness."

The instant the boy interrupted the old man's words and addressed him,

The old man's face hardened.

"...How?"

Taken aback, the old man blinked.

When he opened his eyes again,

Hwoong-

The surroundings had changed in an instant.

In less than a tenth of a second.

The busy park had transformed into a deserted alleyway.

As the old man looked around, struggling to understand what had happened,

The boy slowly moved towards him.

In his hand, the boy gripped a golden hammer.

The moment the old man saw the hammer, his eyes shook with surprise.

"Could that hammer be..."

The old man could not fail to understand what the golden hammer represented.

The world's most notorious boy.

A prodigy, declared to have surpassed even superhumans at his young age.

'Irregular'.

The face of the boy clutching that hammer twisted into a harsh scowl.

Once the boy neared the old man, he revealed his fierce expression and asked the old man.

"Who are you planning to kill?"