The Academy’s Time Stop Player

TL/Editor: looloo

Schedule: 5/Week Mon-Fri

Illustrations: Here

Gigantmakia let out a roar close to fury.

The power it had so desperately wanted.

It had been absorbed into the body of a human.

Enraged, it swung its brutal hand towards Hajoon.

"That power isn't yours!!"

Whoosh!!

With a sound that seemed to tear the air, a massive hand was swung at Hajoon.

But before the hand could reach Hajoon.

Whoosh!

A brilliant light burst from Hajoon's body, obscuring the surrounding view.

The light covered the giant's massive body and even seemed to envelop the entire Imaginary World.

As the light slowly faded, it began to gather back into Hajoon's body.

That's when it happened.

Gigantmakia's eyes widened.

"This is...."

Ssshhh!

A soft white magic power flowed gently from Hajoon's body.

It was a strange feeling.

As if all fatigue had disappeared and he was flying in the sky, a refreshing sensation.

A sense that he could achieve anything he desired.

Hajoon slowly took a step forward.

At that moment, the Imaginary World changed.

Whoosh!

The sky cleared.

The ominous, blood-red sky suddenly transformed into a blue one that seemed to open one's heart just by looking at it.

It was a sky similar to the feelings Hajoon was experiencing now.

Hajoon looked up at the sky for a moment before lowering his gaze.

Suddenly, the dead, made of bones, were kneeling respectfully before Hajoon.

Philaten was at the forefront, showing respect with a moved expression.

Hajoon looked at Philaten and said,

"So this was what you were talking about."

The magic power containing the wishes of all dwarves.

Hajoon felt he understood the identity of this magic power, which had properties opposite to the power of Destruction.

Creation.

It was a truly dwarven-like power.

"Now, then."

If this power could literally create anything, then this should also be possible.

Hajoon thought of the image he had in mind and reached out his hand towards the ground.

Whoosh!

The power of creation spread in all directions.

As it brushed past the dead kneeling before Hajoon, it brought changes to their bodies.

The bodies made of bones transformed into the appearance of the warriors who had once faced the King of Giants, changed by the power of creation.

The change happened in an instant.

The dead, who had only existed as skeletons, were startled by the sudden change and began to examine their bodies.

"This is..."

"My body?! My body has returned!"

"The king has returned..."

The bones that had made up the Imaginary World no longer existed.

All the dwarves that had existed only as bones in the Imaginary World had returned to their original forms.

As the dwarves existing in this place cheered and shouted in joy at the return of their bodies, those in front of Hajoon still kneeled respectfully towards him.

"““We greet our new king.””"

Those kneeling respectfully before Hajoon.

Hajoon could tell from their behavior that these were elite individuals.

Philaten, leading the front, was looking at his returned comrades with a moved expression.

"Lord Zelnof! Lord Hemold!"

Comrades who had lived as the dead for ages, having forgotten their existence, had regained their original forms and memories. Overcome with emotion, Philaten called out each of their names one by one.

Hearing Philaten's voice, the two dwarves standing at the forefront with Philaten smiled broadly and spoke.

"Thank you, Philaten. Because of you, we were able to remember our existence."

"It’s because of you, Philaten, that we could recall who we are."

Tears of emotion streamed down Philaten's cheeks at these words.

"Now is not the time for tears."

Zelnof slowly rose and approached Hajoon.

He once again bowed to Hajoon and said,

"Our new king, command us. All of us dwarves will follow your command."

At his words, all the dwarves gathered stopped cheering and began to kneel before Hajoon.

They were all waiting for Hajoon's command.

However, Hajoon noticed something lacking in their appearance.

Though their numbers were grand, exceeding tens of thousands, they had no weapons in their hands. At that moment, Hajoon felt something resonating with the power of creation.

He immediately took out the item from his inventory that was resonating with his magic power.

A silver bracelet given by King Bekarudon in the past.

[The Soul-Eater’s Wootz Steel]

Grade: Mythic

Attributes: {Shape Transformation} {Indestructible Wootz Steel} {Souls Lost in Existence} {Proliferating Wootz Steel} {Attraction}

It was the "Soul-Eater’s Wootz Steel."

It began to vibrate loudly, resonating with Hajoon's magic power as if roaring.

The wootz steel ascended into the sky, slowly expanding and forming a sphere as it proliferated.

In an instant, the situation unfolded.

The expanded wootz steel dispersed in all directions, aiming at all the dwarves gathered here.

In a moment, armor made of wootz steel and wieldable hammers and axes were in their hands.

In this scene, Hajoon finally understood the meaning behind Bekarudon's words and smiled gently.

"So, this was what it meant?"

-This will be of help to you in the future. Take it.

Bekarudon's words at that time.

Hajoon had tried to use the Soul-Eater’s Wootz Steel as Bekarudon said, but he was unable to.

No matter how much he tried, the wootz steel did not respond.

However, now with the power of creation, Hajoon was different.

It was natural since the inherent purpose of wootz steel was to create something.

Whoosh!

Soon after, the last remaining bits of wootz steel flew towards Hajoon and merged with Maharazu.

It seeped into the cracked parts of Maharazu, filling in the fissures.

"Preparations are complete, Your Majesty. Command us."

Immediately, tens of thousands of dwarves looked at Hajoon, waiting for his command.

All preparations were complete.

A second chance was given to those who had lost in the past War of Annihilation.

They were eager to repay this newly given opportunity with their valor.

Hajoon glared at the King of Giants.

The King of Giants, still looking down on him with dignity, was observing the situation.

Towards such a King of Giants, Hajoon lifted Maharazu and pointed it at the king.

"All forces."

With those words, amidst a tense silence as the numerous dwarves awaited just a moment.

"Charge."

At Hajoon's command, all the dwarves let out a cry and rushed towards the King of Giants, kicking off the ground.

"““Woaaaaah!!!””"

[Pathetic.]

For the first time, the King of Giants contorted his face.

With a fullness of rage, he raised his arms high above.

[Have you forgotten that you lost the war even in such circumstances before!]

Whoosh!!!!

Like a meteor falling, the giant's arm, vibrating the air and emanating a massive pressure, swung towards the charging dwarves.

However.

"Everyone! Do not stop, keep running!!"

Boom!! Thwack!!!

[?!]

Gigantmakia's eyes widened.

A dwarf had leaped up, kicking off the ground, and swung a hammer larger than his own body at the arm, causing a collision.

As the King of Giants's arm was flung backward by the recoil.

Whoosh!! Boom!!

The dwarf who had blocked the giant's arm also flew far away and crashed into the ground.

But he simply dusted off the dirt from his body and stood up with a hearty smile, lifting the corners of his mouth.

Hemold, the dwarf who had blocked the giant's arm, grinned and shouted encouragement to the surrounding dwarves.

"Don't be afraid! One defeat is enough! Repay the opportunity our king has given us!!"

"““Waaaaah!!””"

Once again, the dwarves' cries shook the ground as they all charged with vengeance towards the King of Giants before them.

In that moment, Gigantmakia, with a face full of rage, unleashed chaotic magical power in all directions.

"Be swept away and die!"

He attempted to unleash his magic power to sweep away all the dwarves gathered here at once.

At that moment.

Boom!!!

Suddenly, Gigantmakia's body tilted backward.

He lost his balance due to a massive impact felt at his ankle, intending to fall backward.

Just before his body fell, his gaze shifted to his ankle.

There, a dwarf wielding a giant axe had swung at his ankle, cleaving it in half.

[Zelnof!]

Gigantmakia recognized the dwarf who had severed its ankle.

It was Zelnof, once called the left arm of Horton.

"I've waited for this moment, King of Giants."

Boom!!

As one ankle was severed, the King of Giants finally kneeled with a thud.

Another dwarf charged at the kneeling King of Giants, wielding a gigantic hammer.

"Hahaha!! You haven't rusted a bit, Zelnof!"

Hemold leaped up again, slamming his hammer towards Gigantmakia's chest.

Thwack!! Boom!!!

The King of Giants, already on its knees, fell backward with a loud thud as it hit the ground.

In this situation.

All the dwarves began to charge at the King of Giants.

"Create an opportunity!! Aim for its heart!!"

Following Zelnof's cry, the dwarves moved as one.

Skilled dwarves aimed for the giant's legs and arms to prevent Gigantmakia from rising again, while a few climbed onto the giant's body, hammering down towards its heart.

At that moment.

[You rat bastards!]

Gigantmakia's severed ankle regenerated in an instant as it attempted to raise its upper body.

The dwarves climbing on it were thrown off as it swung its massive arms at the dwarves attacking its limbs.

Whoosh!! Boom boom boom!!

"Aaargh!!"

"Ugh!!"

Dwarves were flung in all directions by the swing of Gigantmakia's arm.

In this moment, as Gigantmakia attempted to rise again, a shadow that blocked the light from the sky suddenly appeared before it.

As it looked up, a massive golden hammer emitting a soft light loomed before it.

Whoosh!!! Boom!!

By the time it realized, it was too late to react.

Hajoon's Maharazu had already swung down towards the giant's chest, and once again, with a loud thud, Gigantmakia was slammed into the ground.

[You!!]

Gigantmakia roared in anger at Hajoon.

Hajoon, in response, lifted the enlarged Maharazu and slammed it down on the giant's face.

Boom!!

In this scene.

Zelnof rallied the dwarves with a powerful cry.

"The king has created an opportunity!! Everyone, charge!!"

"““Waaaaah!!!””"