Chapter 3 |
TL/Editor: looloo
Schedule: N/A
Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
Suddenly, the ticking of a clock filled the air.
Then, the sounds started to slow, each tick stretching out longer than the last.
The loud siren, the villain’s mocking laughter, the scared faces of the kids, the pained groans of the teachers - everything slowed.
And then—
Everything froze.
In an instant, an eerie silence fell.
Everything but me.
"It really stopped."
Yet, even confronted with this unbelievable spectacle that defied all laws of reality, I stayed calm.
My heart didn’t race; I was peaceful.
I naturally started to think of a way out.
It felt odd, not being in immediate danger, but I shrugged it off and kept thinking. After all, I had an idea why this was happening.
It must be the [Indomitable Will] skill I got along with Time Stop.
There was no other answer.
I didn’t know if the Time Stop skill was foolproof or if time might suddenly start again. So, instead of panicking, I needed to come up with a plan.
"Well, then..."
My first goal was to kill him.
The A-rank villain, The Full-Power Man.
He’s a recurring enemy in the story.
He’s always going against the student council president, joining the villain alliance, and launching various attacks on the academy. In the process, he kills a lot of heroes, students, and civilians.
I could be one of his victims.
Judging by The Full-Power Man’s behavior, it seems like I’m already on his radar.
’The story might change...’
But that’s not important.
Sure, it could be a little tricky, but killing him is my top priority.
"So..."
So for now, I set out to find a way to kill him.
I considered stabbing him in the neck or heart with something sharp. But given that he’s an A-rank known as The Full-Power Man, his power and stamina must be over the ’ultimate threshold’ of 500.
He’s said to have a body as sturdy as his large build.
I doubted a regular blade would leave a scratch.
But that’s only when he’s serious.
Seeing his hearty laughter, it didn’t seem like he was going all out.
’Should I try it?’
What sharp objects are on this bus?
Hajoon started by searching through the students’ bags.
This academy was a magnet for talented kids from South Korea. Surely, some of them, being the children of top heroes, granddaughters of the association president, sons of famous guilds, and so on, had rare or unique weapons.
However, Hajoon hit an unexpected roadblock.
"Darn it!"
The zippers wouldn’t budge.
More accurately, they were stuck.
In a world where nothing else moved, the bags were as solid as rocks. Hajoon was thrown by this unforeseen issue.
"… I guess I’ll give up for now."
Hajoon made a quick choice and soon left the bus behind.
After leaving the bus and wandering near the tunnel...
Thump-
"Huh?"
Something floating in the air bumped into Hajoon’s shoulder.
Curiosity sparked in Hajoon’s eyes.
Just now, a piece of floating glass had hit Hajoon’s shoulder and shifted slightly.
"Could it be…?"
Hajoon decided to test it and flicked the piece of glass with his finger.
The piece of glass moved a little and then abruptly froze again.
’It seems like floating objects aren’t stuck.’
Hajoon immediately picked up the floating piece of glass and moved on.
Thankfully, a small glimmer of hope had appeared.
Hajoon quickly scanned his surroundings for other floating objects and soon spotted a half-crushed car against the side of the tunnel.
Floating pieces of glass from the car and the crumbling wall.
"There’s nothing really useful..."
Just as he thought there was nothing to use, a thought hit him.
’I wonder if this can be broken?’
This idea came to him after dealing with the rock-hard bags.
Hajoon tried to smash the piece of glass onto the ground immediately, and it turned out exactly as he thought.
’It doesn’t break…….’
This meant that all the floating debris around him had the durability of a unique or legendary item.
"Not bad."
A smile spread across Hajoon’s face.
He felt like he was starting to get the hang of this.
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Raei Translations
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About a day after time stopped, Hajoon had begun to understand the space where time was frozen.
Firstly, nothing could be destroyed since time was paused. This applied to people as well.
Although the situation was desperate, with virtually no way to kill the guy, there was one idea.
An idea that just crossed Hajoon’s mind.
"I really hope this works."
Ping! Ping!
The method Hajoon came up with was simple but rough.
He placed a piece of glass near the guy’s heart, picked up a floating rock the size of a fist, and hammered it down like driving a nail into a tree.
Of course, there was no way the guy’s body would be pierced in this process.
But he thought if time started again, the stored-up force would stab the guy’s heart. Of course, he wasn’t sure, as this was something he’d only seen in comics or movies.
Well, if it didn’t work, he could just stop time again.
’It won’t work in just an hour or two…….’
The Full-Power Man’s durability was exceptionally high.
He could block a unique or legendary level weapon with just his body, without using a single skill.
At least one day, or even two days’ worth of force had to build up before there was any chance.
Luckily, he had all the time he needed.
There was no need to hurry.
To completely take down the guy, he had to be as ready as possible.
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Raei Translations
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And when about three days had passed...
Ping! Ping!
At some point, Hajoon’s hand, which had been hammering away, stopped.
Hajoon wiped the sweat off his forehead as he looked at the guy.
"This should be enough."
Hajoon, who had also placed glass pieces in the Achilles tendons on both sides of the Full-Power Man as a backup, was fully prepared.
Now, it was all up to fate.
"Die, you bastard."
With that, he released the skill and time started again.
The loud siren, the groaning of the instructor in pain, and the faint cries of the frightened children slowly became audible and soon...
"Ha ha ha ha ha!!"
The hearty laughter of the Full-Power Man rang out.
Simultaneously.
Screeech!!
The glass pieces started to move rapidly, making a strange noise.
In a flash, the glass, moving at a nearly invisible speed, pierced the Full-Power Man’s heart.
At the same moment.
Bang!!
The thin piece of glass that had pierced his heart couldn’t bear the stored-up force and shattered.
The shattered glass fragments turned into shrapnel and tore through the Full-Power Man’s heart.
"Ha ha ha ha- hek! Kuhk!!"
He started coughing up blood and bent over.
The Full-Power Man, lifting his head, looked towards Hajoon.
"Kuhk- heuk... Ho-how."
"What do you mean, ’how?’ Just go, quickly."
"Kuhaaaak!! I won’t go down like this!!"
As if to fight back one last time before dying, the Full-Power Man started to tense his whole body’s muscles. Hajoon just took a few steps back.
After all, the guy was gone.
Thud-
The Full-Power Man managed to stand up but lost balance like a toddler taking its first steps and fell to the ground. His eyes started to flicker in confusion.
He realized what was happening to his ankles.
"Heuk… Who the hell are you…"
Those were his last words.
His pupils lost their color, and his blood poured out like a flood.
This marked the end of the villain known as the A-rank Full-Power Man.
"Oh my god…"
"No way…"
The moment everyone’s eyes were on me,
I slumped into a chair as if collapsing, and closed my eyes.
It was time to enjoy the results of three days of effort.
In that moment, the bus seat felt no different than a plush, comfortable sofa from a high-end furniture store.
’Still, having this skill is handy.’
The piercing gazes of several people didn’t bother me in the least.
And so, I drifted off to sleep.
[Main Quest]
Available Quest Characters: Kim Hajoon (Liber Laphilton Phil Ehrman)
Description: Defeat the A-rank villain, the Full-Power Man.
Reward: 250P
[Success!]
[Rewards will be given.]
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Raei Translations
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When I woke up, I found myself in an unfamiliar hospital bed.
However, I couldn’t figure out why I was in the hospital.
There wasn’t a single scratch anywhere on my body.
Could it simply be due to my lack of sleep over the past three days?
"Have you woken up?"
I turned my head to see an elderly man with white hair, dressed in a grey suit, sitting nearby.
’Ah, this is...’
Hajoon had a hunch about what the elderly man was about to say.
It was likely to be an interrogation.
"Are you the student who defeated the Full-Power Man?"
"Yes, my name is Kim Hajoon."
"You’re younger than I thought... that makes it even more surprising..."
I stared at the elderly man for a moment.
The man was dressed in a finely tailored gray suit, sported a neatly trimmed beard, and had strikingly blue eyes.
I recognized this old man.
"Could you be Principal Choi Jungwon, the sage?"
The first magician of Korea and the head of Rokia Academy.
It was Sage Choi Jungwon.
"Heh, heh, heh. Nice to meet you. But, I’m sorry, I need to ask right away. What’s your identity?"
Simultaneously, Choi Jungwon’s blue eyes began to flicker.
I knew exactly what that meant.
He was likely trying to detect any lies.
"Right now, beyond the campus, the whole country is buzzing about you."
"Has my name been disclosed yet?"
"Not yet."
Relieved, I paid close attention to what Choi Jungwon was saying.
"But, first of all, we need to understand who you are. It’s hard to believe that an unknown defeated an A-rank villain like the Full-Power Man."
"I am not a villain, to start with. I’m just an ordinary student who came to take the entrance exam."
Clear and concise explanations make the truth easier to discern.
With that, Choi Jungwon silently stared at me.
I, too, calmly met Choi Jungwon’s gaze.
Soon, Choi Jungwon’s shimmering blue eyes dimmed, and he began to smile broadly.
"Heh heh, hahaha! Amazing. Who would’ve thought we had such a talent among our students."
"That’s an overstatement."
"You’re the first one to face my magic power so calmly."
Magic power?
Was he radiating magic power?
The magic power of a human who has reached the top class is difficult to withstand with ordinary mental strength.
Of course, there was no way for me to sense the magic power.
The damn system didn’t grant me any magical power.
"How about it? If you’re interested, I can admit you to the academy as a special student right away and make your name known across the country. How does that sound?"
Has this old man lost his mind?
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Raei Translations
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Who’s he trying to get killed... No, is he testing me?
"Principal, I’d like to live a long life."
At that remark, a smile began to form at the corners of Choi Jungwon’s mouth.
He was clearly testing me.
The news about a student who took down an A-rank villain, potentially a member of the villain alliance, would undoubtedly make me a target.
Especially if my name gets publicized nationwide.
"So, what will you do?"
"I’ll go the orthodox way. Please keep the name of the student who defeated the A-rank villain confidential, and cancel the special admission privilege. I’ll take the entrance exam normally and get accepted."
"Heh, you’re a quick thinker. I expected as much and prepared in advance. Both students and instructors have been silenced, so don’t worry."
So he was testing me, this sly old man.
Seeing my slightly furrowed brow, the cunning old man, no, Choi Jungwon started to bow his head, all the while grinning.
Had it been the old me, I might have been startled, but this always-active skill kept my mind calm.
Choi Jungwon spoke.
"I’m truly grateful. You saved our academy’s instructors and promising students."
"I killed him because I didn’t want to die."
"Hahaha! How casually you put that. It couldn’t have been easy. Or was it, for you? I saw the video."
This old man seemed to increasingly mistake me for a monster, but unexpectedly, it was a favorable situation. Building a relationship with him, the former hero association chairman and the academy’s principal, would be helpful.
"Are you feeling okay now?"
"Yes. To be honest, I wasn’t injured."
"It’s really amazing that someone could confront that brute and remain unscathed... Good. Are you ready to take the exam immediately?"
The exam? Hasn’t the entrance examination period passed?
Honestly, I was planning to take it easy and mess around for a year.
However, Choi Jungwon’s words interrupted my thoughts.
"I postponed it for three days for you. If you’re not feeling well, we can postpone it further."
Wow, power truly does have its perks.
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