The Academy’s Time Stop Player

Of course, they had to keep this incident quiet, so even the fact that Hajoon dealt with the villains who attacked him had to be hidden. And it seems that Chairman Kim Jeongyong regrets that.

Hajoon was dumbfounded.

If his involvement with the villains had inadvertently become public, that would be one thing. But he never had the intention to boast about it all over the country.

To begin with, the pre-exchange episode had ended, so it wasn't Hajoon's concern whether they continued with the exchange or stopped it in the middle.

Hajoon said, “It doesn't really matter to me.”

"I knew Mr. Hajoon would say that, but it's still a bit disappointing for me. I haven't mentioned it until now, but ever since you started fighting villains, the terror rate in Korea has been decreasing."

It seems that Chairman Kim wasn't just worried about Hajoon's achievements being overshadowed.

He would have misunderstood if he hadn't said that.

Sure, being credited for decreasing Korea's villain terrorism rate is something to be proud of, but Hajoon didn’t give it much thought.

He never intended to continue with this nonsense once he became an adult.

Hiding his true feelings, Hajoon casually remarked, “That’s good to hear.”

“It's all thanks to you, Hajoon. And also thanks to the puppeteer you persuaded.”

For the record, the puppeteer was still lounging around at Hajoon's house.

Somehow, his actions made him seem more like the homeowner than I.

Come to think of it, he seemed to live such a comfortable life.

While he lazily lounged on the sofa, all the work was handled by his puppets.

“Huh? What's up?”

Irian, noticing Hajoon's gaze, spoke up.

Hajoon ignored Irian's comment and turned back to Chairman Kim.

“Yes, I understand. Take care.”

“After investigating the villain you captured, Hajoon, I will contact you again. Goodbye.”

Beep.

After ending the call with the Chairman, Hajoon collapsed onto the sofa.

“I'm exhausted...”

There's only a week left of vacation.

Fortunately, after the Haruna Ruel episode, there were no more episodes during the vacation, so he did have time to rest.

Hajoon leaned back and lay down on the sofa.

In doing so, his leg ended up on Irian's lap. Irian, sitting next to him, frowned in annoyance.

“Hey, if you want to lie down, go to the bed.”

“Shh- This is my house.”

“Elaine! Big brother is bothering sister again!”

“Ugh, big brother, stop bothering your hard-working sister! If you keep this up, I won't give you food!”

For the record, Elaine was preparing dinner in the kitchen.

At Elaine's words, Hajoon sighed.

Irian might have spun some tale, as Elaine currently believed that Irian was a diligent agent working tirelessly 24/7 at the association.

Unlike Hajoon, who lounges in his room, taking daytime naps.

Upon hearing Elaine's remarks, Irian started to smirk mischievously at Hajoon.

Seeing this, Hajoon silently rose from the sofa and gave Irian a light flick on the head.

Snap-

"Ow!"

"Brother!"

[The Awakening of Han Siyoung's Ability under the Sword King's Guidance!]

[The World Was Astounded by Han Siyoung's Ability. What Could This Power Be?]

After the exchange match in the novice division ended, the articles were filled with reports about Han Siyoung's ability.

And it wasn't just in Korea.

Given that it was an international exchange, journalists from all around the world witnessed Han Siyoung using his ability. The stories spread globally, making headlines everywhere.

It was no surprise, as this was the first time someone had physically overcome a superhuman opponent whom physical force couldn't harm. Naturally, countries around the world wanted detailed information about this ability.

"Now, everyone, it's been a while. Let's begin a brief check-in."

A week had passed since then. Hajoon calmly read the news articles. Once he saw the instructor, Han Eeseul, enter, he quietly pocketed his smartphone.

The holidays had ended.

In retrospect, the break felt ambiguously long.

It would have felt longer if Hajoon had simply lounged at home, watching TV or playing games. However, he had kept himself moderately busy during the break.

Thankfully, there were no classes today.

They would likely have a brief check-in, attendance, and then be informed about the plans related to their classes. The day's schedule would probably end swiftly.

"Well, it seems everyone is present... There's something I need to discuss about novice requests. Even though requests could be made during the break, only a few of you accepted them. I understand many of you were busy, but remember, there are points associated with these requests. Whenever you have time, fulfill these requests. That's all. Check-in is done."

With that, the day's academy schedule ended.

Feeling the urge to relax in his dormitory after so long, Hajoon was about to head there.

Just then, Instructor Han Eeseul called out to both Hajoon and Han Siyoung.

"Kim Hajoon, Han Siyoung, come with me for a moment."

"Me?"

"…?"

Both Hajoon and Han Siyoung looked puzzled but followed the instructor.

Expecting to be taken to the faculty room, they were instead led to a surprisingly quiet counseling room.

As they took seats on the sofa opposite Instructor Han Eeseul, he began to speak.

"Actually, there's a common request that has come in for both of you."

At this, Hajoon had an inkling of what might be coming.

It probably related to an episode involving Han Siyoung.

However, the puzzling part was why he, too, was involved in the request.

Of course, he had been wondering how he could be part of Han Siyoung's episode, but he hadn't expected it to unfold so easily.

Hajoon asked, "So the same client requested both of us?"

"Yes. And the request might be bigger and riskier than you think. The reason we're having this private conversation is because I want to hear your opinions."

"Who is the client?"

It was Han Siyoung who posed the question.

Instructor Han Eeseul replied,

"It's the South Korean Ambassador. He has a task he'd like to entrust to the both of you. You can get more details from him directly. The choice, of course, is yours."

At this, Han Siyoung began to contemplate, arms crossed.

In contrast, Hajoon simply waited with his usual nonchalant expression.

After a brief moment, Han Siyoung spoke up.

"Let's first hear the details, then we'll decide."

"Sounds good. Kim Hajoon, what about you?"

"Yes, I feel the same way."

"Alright then. Meet him today at 6 p.m. in room 503 of the XX Hotel. The Ambassador will be waiting for you there."

Both Hajoon and Han Siyoung nodded in agreement.

Given that it was a request from someone of the Ambassador's stature, Han Siyoung likely realized this was no ordinary matter.

That's probably why he wanted to hear it out before making a decision.

"I'll leave the decision up to you two. Even if it's a rookie task, I won't force you into anything dangerous. That'll be all for now."

Time slipped by, and it was 6 in the evening.

Hajoon and Han Siyoung headed to the hotel mentioned by their instructor.

Without hesitation, they knocked on the door marked "503." Shortly after, a burly man, appearing to be a bodyguard, greeted them. Upon seeing their faces, he respectfully ushered them inside. As they reached the living room, a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair, exuding an air of calm, was seated on the sofa.

He rose gracefully and extended his hand in greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Kim Hongwan, the South Korean Ambassador."

Upon hearing this, Han Siyoung took his hand and greeted him politely. Hajoon, on the other hand, did the same but with a somewhat indifferent expression.

Soon, Hajoon and Han Siyoung found themselves seated opposite the ambassador. After a momentary warm glance at the two, Kim Hongwan began to speak.

"I've heard from the academy. You've been briefed and are here for a task, correct?"

At this, both Hajoon and Han Siyoung nodded.

Kim Hongwan continued, "We've received a request for cooperation from Japan. They seek assistance in capturing a certain villain."

Upon hearing this, Han Siyoung looked puzzled, probably wondering why the request was directed to him instead of someone like Hajoon.

Her confusion was soon addressed by Kim Hongwan's following words, "I saw the exhibition match. Han Siyoung's ability. While I can't pinpoint its exact nature, it seems effective against those with physical transformation abilities."

He responded, "I'm still not entirely sure about the specifics of my ability, but that seems accurate."

Kim Hongwan nodded, "Indeed. It might be unique. An ability that neutralizes powers that physical forces can't touch. That's why Japan is seeking your help in capturing this villain."

"Do you have information on who this villain is?"

Kim Hongwan's face turned grave as he replied slowly, "He is a villain classified as grade A in the Unchained category."

Unchained category. It literally meant a class of villains who, regardless of their power, couldn't be easily captured. Most of these villains possessed transformative abilities.

"The villain goes by the name 'Sandman'. Although he's a high-ranking villain, Japan has earnestly requested your intervention. This individual, who vanished after causing an incident five years ago, has suddenly resumed his activities, and now with even more enhanced abilities. Rumor has it that he's even joined the 'Villain Alliance' this time."

Sandman, an A-grade villain in Japan. As his name suggests, he had the power to transform his body into sand.

In the past, his capabilities were considered just below S-grade. Due to a clear vulnerability in his power, countermeasures were possible, which led to his A-grade classification.

However, the recent resurgence of his activities indicates his power might not be as straightforward as it once was.

It's uncertain whether he hid his power in the past, but compared to then, his abilities have certainly strengthened.

"At that time, he could only transform his body into sand. Now, he's advanced to the point of controlling the sand around him. He's powerful enough to carry out terror attacks by himself. In fact, after he single-handedly terrorized an apartment complex, his threat level was raised to Class S."

There are very few villains that carry both the Unchained rank and Class S.

It's no easy task to apprehend a typical Class S villain, almost as tricky as capturing an Unchained. However, a villain with both the Unchained rank and Class S implies that they are virtually impossible to arrest or eliminate.

In some perspectives, they might be considered even more dangerous than just a Class S threat.

"..."

After hearing all of this, Han Siyoung seemed lost in thought for a moment.

Right now, Hajoon felt he might understand what Han Siyoung was contemplating.

He's probably wondering if he can be of any help, especially since he can't activate or control his ability at the moment. Letting Han Siyoung mull over her thoughts, Hajoon raised a question that had been nagging him.

"Why was I summoned here?"

Of course, he would have helped because of Han Siyoung even if he hadn't been called, but he's unclear about why he was specifically invited.

Do they recognize me?

Considering the significant scene he made during the betting event at the academy festival, he doubted anyone would trust him.

Addressing his question, Kim Hongwan spoke up.

"Before taking on this task, I spoke with the renowned hero, Riella Harnis. Originally, I would have discussed this mission with the Sage for approval, but I heard they were unavailable. Thankfully, Riella Harnis, who could be seen as a stand-in for the Sage, granted permission."

Why was this brought up out of the blue?

Hajoon tilted his head in confusion without replying, prompting Kim Hongwan to elaborate further.

"Riella Harnis suggested that if Han Siyoung is being brought in, Kim Hajoon should be involved as well. They believed you would be of assistance."