The Academy's Time Stop Player

197 - #196

TL/Editor: looloo

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Whoosh!! Thud!!

Kim Hajoon's enlarged Maharazu was swung at the giant's ankles.

It was massive.

Kim Hajoon had swung Maharazu at the ankles, thinking he needed to knock this thing down.

However, the moment Maharazu hit the giant's ankle, a tingling recoil shot through Kim Hajoon's wrist. Far from breaking, the backlash from the strike returned to Kim Hajoon.

He had somewhat expected it.

The skin toughness of the giant was the hardest Kim Hajoon had ever encountered among superhumans and monsters.

Kim Hajoon activated time stop.

Even if crushing the giant's feet was too much, toppling it seemed feasible.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Kim Hajoon struck at the giant's ankles with Maharazu.

Toppling this massive body would require a lot of time.

A body of unimaginable size couldn't be brought down by just a few hours of effort.

At least three days.

With the force accumulated over about three days, he could topple it.

Kim Hajoon's hands moved swiftly.

Whoosh!! Boom!!

In real time, one second.

But for Kim Hajoon, three days had passed and he then released the time stop.

Simultaneously, the power built up over three days exploded in a loud noise.

Boom!

Yet, the giant did not fall.

Even the force accumulated over three days of striking wasn't enough to bring down the giant.

It had merely lost its balance slightly, bending its knees.

But that was enough.

Kim Hajoon greatly increased the size of Maharazu again.

He then swung the hammer towards the giant's torso.

Thud!!

Simultaneously, a huge shockwave burst from the swung hammer, sweeping across the giant's torso.

The force Kim Hajoon had built up over three days of striking.

The shock from striking the giant was also accumulated in Maharazu.

This caused the unsteady giant to slowly start falling backwards.

Boom!!!

As the giant's vast back hit the ground, a huge rumble accompanied by a wind created by the impact swept the area.

Whoosh!!

In that brief moment, Kim Hajoon leaped up and climbed onto the giant's heart.

"Alright, then."

Kim Hajoon activated time stop again.

It would take a long time.

Especially since reaching the giant's heart would take at least three days.

A memory from long ago surfaced.

He remembered that even back when he lacked strength and stamina, it had taken about this long.

"Was it a few months back then...?"

He felt it was similar to the current duration.

Kim Hajoon thought it was enough and stopped moving Maharazu.

Though he hadn't kept exact time, this should suffice.

Moreover.

Whirr!!!

Maharazu was vibrating.

Like roaring, Maharazu began to bellow massively.

A few months' worth of accumulated force was now within Maharazu.

"This should be fine."

Kim Hajoon prepared to release the time stop.

At the same time, Kim Hajoon had realized something during this long period.

He looked around the barren, rock-strewn area.

Initially, it was a suspicion, but after hammering for a long time, he was certain.

'The Imaginary World...'

The unease he felt during the battle with the giant.

Every object around seemed to emanate a presence stemming from the giant.

Initially, the giant's vast magical power covered everything, making it unnoticeable, but now it was clear.

Doubt had long since turned to certainty.

"Well, then..."

If that was the case, Kim Hajoon had no intention of leaving the giant in its Imaginary World.

A golden magic power surged from Kim Hajoon's body.

If this was the giant's Imaginary World, the solution was simple.

Kim Hajoon released the time stop.

Immediately after,

[?!]

The giant's eyes widened.

An unprecedented loud noise erupted from the heart of Gigantmakia, the King of Giants.

Boom!! Bang―――!!!

With that massive sound, the giant's heart exploded.

Simultaneously, the giant's heart was revealed.

From it, the source of Gigantmakia's magic, specifically a sinister magical energy, burst forth into the surroundings.

There it is!

Kim Hajoon instantly knew this was the method Philaten mentioned to bring down the giant.

The moment he realized this, Kim Hajoon's next two actions happened almost simultaneously.

Kim Hajoon's destructive magic spread in all directions.

It began to engulf the Imaginary World created by the giant.

At the same time, the Maharazu Kim Hajoon was holding was directed at the giant's heart.

Boom!! Bang―――!!!

The power accumulated over months swung at the giant's heart, sending a tremendous rumble throughout the area.

Whoosh!!

Amidst the rising dust all around,

Gigantmakia's voice resonated solemnly.

[Is this the end?]

His voice was indifferent, as if void of any emotion.

The giant lifted his head and spoke to the boy who had climbed onto his chest.

[Even Horton couldn't break this heart. Did you think a mere human could?]

True to his words, Kim Hajoon was momentarily confused as he looked at the giant's heart.

Kim Hajoon repeatedly struck at the giant's heart with the overlapping Maharazu while reactivating the time stop.

But he couldn't even scratch it.

The giant's heart merely continued to emit sinister magic, maintaining its form.

Soon, Gigantmakia surveyed the surroundings.

"Imaginary World... your mental strength is a level above mine."

His own Imaginary World was devoured by the boy's in an instant.

This meant the boy's mental power overwhelmed his own.

But that was all.

The King of Giants stood up.

As the giant began to rise, Kim Hajoon kicked off the giant's chest and landed on the ground.

Soon, the giant calmly looked around and spoke.

"It's nostalgic."

Mountains of bones and a red sky scattered around.

Gigantmakia recognized this place.

It was where he had massacred all the dwarfs during the war of destruction and ultimately killed Horton.

It was the place that marked the end of the war of destruction.

"Though they are dead, I can feel the dwarfs' presence."

As he said this, the exposed heart of the giant was covered by dirt.

Kim Hajoon had brought the Imaginary World into reality, absorbing the dirt, but the giant's body remained large and had enough dirt on it to cover the exposed heart.

The King of Giants continued,

"Truly a worthless place."

The King of Giants understood why Horton had created such a world while looking around.

It was merely a place to honor the dead kin.

The world itself was a massive tomb for the dead dwarfs.

Of course, that made it a worthless place.

Such an Imaginary World offered no advantage to its creator.

"Did you bring the Imaginary World to stop the absorption of dirt?"

With that, the giant's gaze returned to Kim Hajoon.

At the same time, the giant's huge arm was raised as if to reach the sky.

"The intention was good, but can't you feel it?"

Soon, a sinister magical energy began to gather in Gigantmakia's arm.

"The dead here fear me."

The moment he heard that, Kim Hajoon's head turned back.

Clearly, the emotions of the dead existing in the Imaginary World were conveyed stronger than ever before.

They were afraid of the giant before them.

The emotions were so distinct, it was hard to believe they belonged to the dead.

"They don't serve their king out of fear... Or is it because you're not recognized? Is it because you're human?"

Whoosh!!

It was like a giant meteor falling.

The giant's raised arm, emitting a sinister light, surged directly towards Kim Hajoon.

Kim Hajoon blocked the destructive attack in the same way as before.

He used time stop to create distance and then enlarged Maharazu to brace for the impact.

However, an unexpected event occurred.

Boom!!! Whoosh!!!

"Ugh!"

It was the first time a groan escaped Kim Hajoon’s lips.

The moment the giant slammed the ground, a sinister light gathered at the center and caused a massive explosion, spreading in all directions.

The aftermath of the giant's shockwave knocked down mountains of bones around them.

Using the skill 'Time Stop Storage' to fix Maharazu in place, Kim Hajoon tried to block the storm caused by the giant, but even the enlarged Maharazu couldn't withstand the ongoing aftermath beyond the 10-second limit and was blown away.

As soon as the giant shield of Maharazu disappeared, Kim Hajoon was swept up by the impact and flew through the air, activating time stop.

However, before he could stop time, the recoil from the impact was unstoppable.

After rolling on the ground several times and flying far, Kim Hajoon, annoyed, gritted his teeth and stood up.

Although he had stopped time, the unexpected destructive power was overwhelming.

Kim Hajoon grabbed the flying Maharazu again and released the time stop.

Simultaneously, he swung the impact-filled Maharazu forward, neutralizing the oncoming aftermath.

Whoosh!!

Kim Hajoon activated time stop again and stood in front of Gigantmakia.

Blood was flowing from his forehead from being swept up in the shock, but he quickly wiped it with his hand and drank a potion from his inventory to heal.

The King of Giants looked down at Kim Hajoon quietly.

His eyes were slowly narrowing.

"You still won’t give up."

There was no way in front of him that a human could devise to kill him.

Even Horton, who had power threatening his life, had died without breaking this heart.

It would be no different for a human in front of him.

Yet, the giant showed displeasure at the human who refused to give up.

And Kim Hajoon, without responding to the giant’s words, just gripped Maharazu tightly again.

There was still time to invest more if needed.

He just needed to spend more time to eventually break the giant's heart.

He had no intention of giving up as there was at least a slight possibility.

Kim Hajoon activated time stop again and moved.

Determined to break the giant’s heart, he swung Maharazu again.

Although Kim Hajoon's physique had grown to be called superhuman, he was only average among superhumans.

The force Kim Hajoon used to swing ten times might equal the force used by others like Han Siyoung or Liam Martel in one swing.

That's why he had to spend even more time.

Fortunately, Kim Hajoon's time was infinite.

But in the endless stretch of time.

Now, giving up on keeping time due to repeatedly swinging, releasing time stop to check the results, being caught off guard by the giant's attack and thrown away.

Repeating the process of stopping time and these actions.

There were no cracks in the giant's heart.

Whoosh!! Boom! Boom!

Right when he released time stop to check the results after swinging again, Kim Hajoon barely managed to enlarge Maharazu to protect himself from the waves of magic power the giant emitted, although his reaction was slightly delayed.

Kim Hajoon prepared to brace against the shockwave by positioning Maharazu in front.

Simultaneously, Kim Hajoon could see it.

Crack—

A faint crack appeared on the supposedly unbreakable Maharazu.

Whoosh!!

A shockwave surged, not waiting for Kim Hajoon's startled reaction.

Though he could barely block it with the enlarged Maharazu, cracks began to slowly spread across it.

In this situation, Kim Hajoon gritted his teeth.

The Maharazu, thought to be indestructible, was slowly reaching its limit.

Boom! Boom!

The King of Giants approached Kim Hajoon with majestic footsteps.

A grin was spreading across the giant's lips.

"At your limit."

The giant had also realized that Kim Hajoon was at his limit.

The magical energy he felt was diminishing, showing no signs of recovery.

He realized there was no longer any means to regain magical power.

Furthermore, Kim Hajoon had no points left to purchase auxiliary skills, having used all potions in his inventory as well.

Moreover, he was too drained to use "Time Regression"; only 45 stamina points remained.

Kim Hajoon glared at the giant, gasping for breath.

However, the footsteps of Gigantmakia did not stop, continuing to thunder towards him.

"I'll take Horton's magic power."

As he said this, reaching in front of Kim Hajoon, he began to reach out his hand.

The moment the giant stretched his hand, Kim Hajoon also attempted to activate time stop to evade his grasp.

That was when it happened.

The giant's hand suddenly froze, and Kim Hajoon stopped trying to activate the time stop.

Boom! Boom!

Numerous bony hands burst from the ground at the very spot where Kim Hajoon and Gigantmakia stood.

The ghosts, who had been watching the situation in fear, had moved.

Kim Hajoon could hear their emotions and voices.

-He has fought for us.

He has fought for us.

-Protect him!

Protect him!

-Protect our new king!

Protect our new king!

-Welcome our new king!

Welcome our new king!

No longer could one hear the morose tone typical of the ghosts in their voices.

And Kim Hajoon had heard this voice before.

It was the multitude of voices he heard the first time he used the power of destruction.

The echo of warriors resounded in Kim Hajoon's ears.

Boom! Boom!

The situation unfolded in an instant.

Countless arms that had sprung up clutched at the giant's legs.

Simultaneously, other arms rose in front of Kim Hajoon, reverently raising their palms.

In that moment, a magical power emitting a bright white light gathered in the grasp of the ghosts, forming a sphere.

"What is that?!"

At the sight of it, Gigantmakia's eyes flickered wildly.

"That is not yours!!!"

He roared, reaching out towards the sphere, but the brightly glowing orb was already in Kim Hajoon's hand, who had reached out first.

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