The Academy's Time Stop Player

An unbelievable spectacle unfolded.

"..."

Joa's eyes widened in shock.

She was rendered speechless by the unfolding events before her.

Crash! Crash! Boom!!

The monster she had seen in her foreseen future.

A monster with an indescribable power.

Yet, it was being overwhelmed by an even more implausible force.

Crash! Crash! Boom!!

Debris scattered in all directions.

The monster, which she had believed to be invincible, was utterly defenseless against the might of a young boy.

There was no doubt about the power of the monster she remembered.

However, to see it so utterly dominated...

"It's disappearing..."

At the same time, the ominous futures that filled her vision were fading away one by one.

The more the Irregular overwhelmed that monster, the more her future shifted.

A fate she believed to be unchangeable.

Yet, it was undergoing significant transformation at the hands of a single boy.

KABOOM!!

In the midst of the resounding shock, which felt as if it would last forever, Bekarudon was deep in thought.

‘This boy… how does he possess such power?’

At a single glance, Bekarudon could discern the boy's strength.

Among the humans gathered here, he seemed the weakest, a mere ordinary man devoid of magic. Bekarudon had presumed the woman standing behind him to be the strongest in this place.

That’s why he was infuriated.

That this seemingly frail human wielded such a hammer.

But now, Bekarudon was compelled to view things differently.

‘He's not an ordinary human.’

Such feats were impossible for someone with such a frail appearance.

The continuous shock waves emanating from the boy signified his might.

‘Had he been hiding his strength all this time?’

Such immense power that even he failed to notice... was the boy concealing it?

However, that alone wouldn’t justify why the boy had possession of the hammer.

KABOOM!

Amidst the countless reverberations, Bekarudon slowly rose to his feet.

As he fully stood up, Hajoon noticed the situation and stopped swinging his hammer, allowing a clearer view of Bekarudon. Though faint smoke rose from a burnt patch on his abdomen due to friction, it was evident that the blow hadn’t inflicted significant damage.

“You can’t kill me,” Bekarudon concluded.

While the display of power moments ago was indeed impressive, it wasn’t enough to take him down.

“That’s the limit of your capabilities.”

Bekarudon bared his teeth menacingly, looking down at Hajoon with arrogance.

KABOOM!

Simultaneously, the massive unadorned sword, embedded in the ground, began to transform.

WHOOOSH!

It quivered, split, and surged, turning into something barely recognizable as a sword anymore. Instead of a blade, the edge of the sword now bristled with jagged projections, resembling more of a saw, as if it were crafted to rip apart rather than slice.

“My name is Bekarudon.”

He pointed the jagged blade at Hajoon and spoke.

“Though your limitations are clear, I'll grant you the courtesy of hearing my name. State yours before you meet your end.”

A smirk appeared on one corner of Hajoon’s lips.

“Oh, really…”

He let out a mocking chuckle, which caused Bekarudon's eyes to narrow in growing ire.

However, Hajoon had much to say.

It seemed Bekarudon yearned for an honorable duel of sorts.

But he was misunderstanding.

This was no mere duel.

“Bekarudon, was it?”

Hajoon looked up at him, his lips curling into a sarcastic smile.

“Do you view this as some honorable duel?”

“What did you say?”

Reacting to Bekarudon’s response, Hajoon raised his hammer and addressed Philaten within.

“Philaten.”

-Speak, my master.

“Increase the weight of Maharazu.”

The weight of Maharazu increased slightly, but not to the extent Hajoon desired.

"Just a bit more."

Whooom!

"More."

Whooom!

Following Hajoon's words, the weight of Maharazu increased.

For Hajoon, who had reached a Strength stat of 70, the weight of the Maharazu he had used up to now felt light. That's why he planned to increase the weight of Maharazu to the maximum he could handle.

Though the change itself was simple, the impact when he struck with the Time Stop would be incomparably greater than before.

"Bekarudon."

"······?"

When the weight had been sufficiently increased, Hajoon looked up at Bekarudon and spoke.

"If that strange greatsword touches me even once, I'll acknowledge it as a duel."

"What do you mean by-"

"Just."

That's when it happened.

Thud!!

"Kheuk!"

Whoooom! Crash!!

An enormous shock, unlike any before, was delivered to Bekarudon's chest.

Unable to withstand the force, Bekarudon was sent flying and crashed into his dirt-made bar.

Hajoon approached him and opened his mouth.

"If you can't touch me, you'll die here."

Once again, this isn't a duel.

It's simply a one-sided act of violence.

“Compared to earlier, this is a whole other level.”

Bekarudon slowly got up.

With a fierce snarl, he violently slammed his greatsword into the ground.

KOOOOM!!

As the ground ruptured, silver spikes shot up.

Excluding where Bekarudon stood, the spikes sprang forth from everywhere, hurtling directly toward Hajoon.

But even before the spikes could reach the surface, Hajoon had already dodged.

Reaching the only safe spot right in front of Bekarudon, he swung his hammer.

CLANG!

“Urk!”

THUD!

The force of the blow, twice as powerful as the previous, struck Bekarudon squarely in the chest.

Thrown backward, he crashed once again into the dirt-made Barus.

CRAACK-

Cracks began to spiderweb across the earth-made Barus.

His eyes widened in shock.

To think that these magically reinforced Barus could be shattered so simply...

“Could he have been concealing even greater power than this?”

Deciding the situation was growing too perilous, Bekarudon started to change the form of his greatsword.

The rough blade began to envelop Bekarudon.

What once was his greatsword now resembled silvery armor protecting him.

Upon seeing this, Hajoon's brows knitted together.

[Soul Devourer’s Silversmith]

Grade: Epic

Properties: {Shape Shifting} {Unbreakable Silversmith} {Lost Spirits} {Multiplying Silversmith} {Magnetism}

Description: The silversmith of the Soul Devourer, Water King Bekarudon. It changes form at his will.

Hajoon saw the status window of the artifact the moment Bekarudon's greatsword transformed into armor.

“How dare a mere human...!”

Enveloped in the silversmith armor, Bekarudon began to open his massive jaws wide.

Eerie wails of countless spirits emanated from his mouth as they started to pour out, swirling around inside the bar confines.

“Extract his soul!”

As he commanded, numerous spirits lunged at Hajoon.

About 50 spirits clung to Hajoon, trying to pull something out from him, gripping his head, arms, and legs.

But Hajoon remained unaffected.

With a serene expression, he approached Bekarudon, spirits clinging onto him all the while.

“Are you... truly human?”

Bekarudon couldn’t help but question the bizarre scene before him.

It was an inconceivable sight.

For a mere human to withstand the despair of so many spirits.

Moreover, not having his soul extracted.

Only someone whose internal mental strength surpassed human limits could achieve this.

Throughout his life, Bekarudon had only ever seen one individual who could resist so many spirits.

“Horton...”

The great king and once his comrade...

For some reason, Kim Hajoon's appearance overlapped with the man before him.

Whooosh! Thud!

Immediately following, a paralyzing blow landed on Bekarudon's chest.

Thanks to the armor he wore, he managed to absorb the impact, but the sheer force began pushing him backward.

Yet, before he could regain his stance, another blow landed in the exact same spot.

Thud!

"Cough!"

This time, he couldn't withstand it.

The impact was incomparably greater than before.

While his armor wasn't breached, he couldn't resist the force propelling him backward.

Bang!

Eventually, with a loud crash, his back met the ground. Kim Hajoon, halting his assault, stepped onto Bekarudon's chest, glaring down at him.

The dynamic had shifted.

Now, it was Kim Hajoon looking down, and Bekarudon gazing up.

"…You are strong," admitted Bekarudon, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

He continued with ragged breaths, "But you'll never be able to kill me. Not unless you breach this armor."

The man before him hadn't managed to penetrate his armor, which was seamlessly covering him.

While he couldn't react in time to the man's attacks, he was confident that he could endure the blows.

"You say I can't breach the armor..."

That's when Kim Hajoon spoke.

Lifting his hammer once more, he whispered, "Didn't I say I would prove my strength?"

His voice was monotone but laced with determination.

Thud!

First, 30 blows.

That was how many times Kim Hajoon had swung, the surrounding area filling with dust.

Thud!

The second set, 50 blows.

Bekarudon, feeling the intensified impacts, desperately tried to swipe at Kim Hajoon, but to no avail. Kim Hajoon dodged and landed another blow on his chest.

Thud! Boom!

The third set, 100 blows.

The resulting sound was earth-shattering.

The ground indented slightly, and soon after, a subtle change began to appear on the armor Bekarudon wore.

Crack-

Starting with a tiny fracture, it began to spider-web, cracking in all directions.

Panic flashed in Bekarudon's eyes.

"How is this possible...? How can this be?!"

"Have you forgotten, Bekarudon?"

Philaten's voice echoed.

Hearing Philaten, panic widened Bekarudon's eyes, and the subsequent words sent shivers down his spine.

"Do you not remember who crafted that weapon?"

As those words resonated, Kim Hajoon's final blow headed straight for Bekarudon's chest.

Thud!

[Sub-Quest]

Playable character: Kim Hajoon (Liber Laphilton Phil Ehrman)

Description: The Soul Devourer, Water King Bekarudon, lays claim to Maharazu. Defeat Water King Bekarudon in this succession duel.

Reward: Destroyer's Hammer, Maharazu (Additional Reward: 10,000P)

[Success!]

[A reward has been given.]

Whooosh!

Dirt and dust billowed around, enveloping both Hajoon and Bekarudon.

"Cough! Cough!"

Blood sputtered from Bekarudon's mouth as he coughed, looking up at Hajoon through blurry eyes, he uttered, “Kill me...”

"..."

"You've won the duel of succession, human."

Without hesitation, Hajoon raised his hammer once again.

Just then, Maharazu emitted a dazzling light.

Suddenly, a pure white aura burst forth from Maharazu, taking the form of a woman.

Philaten.

Revealing herself, she spoke, "Wait a moment, my master. I have something to discuss with him."

Hajoon's eyes narrowed for a moment as he gazed at Philaten, but seeing the seriousness on her face, he eventually nodded.

It seemed she was acquainted with this creature.

Hearing Philaten's words, Bekarudon, grinding his teeth, retorted, "I have no words for a traitor like you, Philaten. Just end it."

"I did not betray anyone, Bekarudon."

"Do you truly expect me to believe that? Have you forgotten who killed Horton?"

Philaten, with a composed expression, replied as she looked at Bekarudon, "Indeed, the king was killed by a human, along with the betrayal of the other kings."

"Then why did you pass Maharazu on to a human!"

To that, Philaten calmly met Bekarudon's gaze and said her next words.