The Academy’s Time Stop Player-Novel

Upon hearing Philaten’s words, Hajoon's eyebrows furrowed.

It was because Philaten had blurted out something that seemed unbelievable.

Yet, ignoring Hajoon’s reaction, Philaten continued speaking.

"It's an instinctive fear. Of course, lesser beings don't seem to know about this hammer."

Hearing that, Hajoon surveyed his surroundings.

Half of the surrounding monsters had fled, but about 30 still remained.

"Let's wrap this up quickly."

At that moment, Joa, who had been covering the rear, spoke up.

Though their numbers had decreased, they had to round up every last one, so they decided to clean up quickly.

With ease, they dispatched the 30 monsters and the party continued forward.

However, unlike before, no monsters approached them directly. It was as if they were hiding, observing them from a distance, wary of Maharazu.

"Did you foresee this as well?"

Hajoon quietly asked Joa, who stood beside him.

Yet, Joa shook her head with a baffled look. "I haven’t seen everything. I only had a premonition of some scenes. I never knew something like this would happen."

In other words, this situation was beyond even Joa's foresight.

Philaten might have known more, but she remained silent.

The party moved on smoothly until they finally saw a massive passage leading somewhere in the distance.

"That seems to be the exit."

"...Wait, the movement of the monsters-"

That's when it happened.

Monsters, which had previously cleared a path for them, now seemed determined to defend the passage. They began to converge, blocking the way.

Their numbers were incomparably greater than before.

Starting with a hundred, the number swelled, and soon over 500 monsters surrounded the party.

"This is looking dangerous."

Given the situation, the party couldn't help but tense up.

No matter how seasoned they were at dungeon exploration, facing an onslaught of monsters like this meant they'd have to fight for their lives.

Yet, they still believed they had a chance.

"Aiden. Violet. Cover me and the Irregular. Grayson, you protect them," instructed Joa.

Holding her mace, she confidently stepped forward. Hajoon, with Maharazu resting on his shoulder, joined her, standing side by side as they advanced.

With their two most powerful members leading the way, they believed that Grayson, Violet, and Aiden would be able to handle the situation.

However, the unexpected occurred.

"No way..."

"How can this be..."

The number of monsters began to increase yet again.

What they thought was the end was just the beginning as the horde of monsters continued to grow.

Through the distant corridor, over 200 more beasts began to swarm, and right behind the party, 400 beasts that hadn't been seen before now closed in.

The overwhelming number slowly cast a shadow of desperation over the group's faces.

Even Joa, who always maintained a calm composure, couldn't help but wear a grave expression.

And then.

Thud! Thud!

Heavy footsteps echoed.

From beyond the corridor, three massive wolves, each about 5 meters tall, approached the party with a determined stride. One beast with fur as black as the night and menacing red eyes, another with pristine white fur and piercing blue eyes, and the last one covered in brown fur with dark, almost black eyes.

The party could only look in horror upon seeing these colossal wolves.

"Th-that's impossible. Those are boss monsters."

Boss monsters that should be found in a much higher-level dungeon, and now, there were three of them.

"Joa! We need to retreat! The dungeon's difficulty has exceeded our expectations!" Violet exclaimed.

Indeed, a dungeon with three boss monsters couldn't be considered a mere lower-level one.

It was a dungeon of a level that humanity might not be able to conquer.

The only explanation was that it belonged to the 'Immortal' or 'Boundary' ranks.

"What should we do?" Hajoon asked Joa.

Though their numbers were... admittedly daunting, it wasn't that the situation was impossible to tackle. It would just take a considerable amount of time.

In response to Hajoon's question, Joa slowly turned her head towards him. After pausing for a moment, all she could offer was a bitter smile.

"I guess we really can't change the future of death. This scene... I've seen it in my future."

Thud! Thud! The looming threat of the three boss monsters.

Countless beasts, too numerous to even count.

And the immense entity likely waiting beyond the corridor.

Joa was familiar with this spectacle.

She had seen it in her future.

But it wasn't a scenario she had glimpsed in the Irregular's future. At least in her future vision, the beasts hadn't revealed such animosity.

She soon wore a calm expression with a hint of a resigned smile, seeming to have made up her mind, and took a step forward. Gripping her mace tightly, she addressed the group.

"I'll buy us some time. Violet, take everyone and run."

"But-"

"We don't have time. Start preparing your magic."

She was certain she would die here.

She could probably fend off the Break on her own, allowing her comrades to escape.

That was the future she foresaw.

However.

Hajoon stepped up beside her.

No, he stepped even further, positioning himself between Joa and the three boss monsters. He looked back at her, saying, "It seems the future you saw for me didn't include this situation."

"...Yes, you're right."

Her reply was accompanied by a melancholic smile.

Certainly, with the context provided, here is the improved translation:

Without a doubt, the future Kim Hajoon had seen as the Irregular didn't have this situation.

"You should run too, Irregular. After all, it's partly my fault for involving you."

If he could escape with his companions, they might survive.

If only he had a bit more time-

"Let's... give it a try."

That's when Hajoon spoke up.

Yet, in his calm voice, there wasn't a hint of hesitation or unease.

As if he had a solution even in this desperate situation.

"Pardon?"

The moment she questioned Hajoon's words,

He moved.

With a powerful swing, he hurled the hammer he held towards the boss monster.

Whoosh!

Maharazu, resonating with a sonic boom, flew towards them.

As it spun and soared directly above their heads,

Hajoon invoked, "Philaten."

Boom!!

An immense vibration resounded.

In an instant, the enlarged Maharazu crushed the three boss monsters beneath it.

Without even letting out a death cry, the three monsters perished, and Hajoon, lifting the Maharazu which returned to its original size, spoke,

"Don't just stand there. Help out. You want to live, don't you?"

For a moment, Joa's eyes trembled.

Joa Elliot had seen her future several months ago.

Arghhh!

Surrounded by monsters, their blood painted the ground. Though she fought valiantly, the never-ending wave of beasts was overwhelming. She fell to the ground, gradually losing her life.

In the distance, beyond the corridor, something enormous began to approach.

Thud! Thud!

The heavy footsteps, powerful enough to shake the ground, came closer and closer.

Too exhausted to lift her head, Joa calmly accepted her fate, closing her eyes. That's when she heard the voice of the gargantuan entity.

"I never expected a mere human to resist this much."

The being, neither human nor monster, addressed her. The magic emanating from it surpassed any human comprehension.

It was a being from another realm.

"I've been watching your battle from afar, human."

It spoke.

Slowly, it knelt down to get a better look at Joa. Yet, even in this position, it towered over her.

"Your fight reminded me of a past comrade of mine."

With an incomprehensible murmur, the entity raised something with one hand. From its silhouette, it appeared to be a massive greatsword.

"Human, you alone resisted my march. I respect that. Tell me your name."

Upon hearing this, Joa whispered her name.

"Joa... Joa Elliot."

"Joa Elliot. I will remember your name."

With those words, the massive greatsword was swung towards her.

That should have been her end.

The death she had foreseen.

But...

The future was changing.

Crash! Boom!

The moment Hajoon disappeared, roughly ten monsters were thrown against the walls.

In a similar fashion to before, he hurled his hammer into the center of the horde, enlarging it and crushing nearly a hundred monsters underneath.

Joa swiftly took down the monsters chasing after Hajoon and stared in awe at the unbelievable spectacle before her, thinking to herself,

'Could it be...?'

The future she'd seen with the irregular was both brief and peculiar.

A boy stood in the center of countless monsters, holding a golden hammer. The monsters, respecting the boy, began to lower themselves, bowing their heads.

Joa had initially believed that the entity beyond the corridor recognized the irregular because of what she had seen in that future, but the scene unfolding before her eyes made her think otherwise.

'Could it be... not that he was recognized but...'

Crash!

Suddenly, another loud noise echoed.

Hajoon raised his hammer and enlarged its head before smashing it into the center of the incoming beasts.

The last screams of the monsters rang out. Soon after, sensing his overwhelming power, the remaining monsters began to flee towards the corridor's end.

"It's flowing."

The future of the Irregular begins to flow fluidly.

And the many branches of his once perceived inevitable death slowly start to disappear one by one.

The Irregular.

He was changing the future of death he thought was immutable.

With an unimaginable power.

Steadily-

"..."

At that moment, Hajoon, who had been moving forward, stopped in his tracks.

Joa and the party following behind him also stopped, matching Hajoon's pace.

"Why did you stop?"

"..."

Instead of answering Joa's question, Hajoon looked around.

Joa and the others also followed his gaze, scanning the surroundings.

"..."

"..."

And then they realized.

By the time they had defeated half of the encircling beasts, there were no more that showed hostility towards them.

They were afraid.

Of the boy with the golden hammer.

"So, that's what it was..."

Joa came to understand.

He wasn't just recognized.

He had simply subdued the surrounding beasts and the being beyond with overwhelming power, forcing them into 'submission'.

"Now, then..."

There were no more beasts blocking their path.

Hajoon, with Maharazu slung over his shoulder, opened his mouth.

"Shall we go get acknowledged?"