The Academy’s Time Stop Player

Time: 1:30 am.

Surprisingly, the shadow was incredibly warm.

So much so that one might fall asleep if they let their guard down.

It felt like being submerged in lukewarm water where you can still breathe.

"Hmm... What should I do next?" Hajoon thought.

To others, it may have looked like a dire situation, but Hajoon remained calm.

The only concern was that he was almost certainly being taken to the villains' headquarters, the exact location of which was unknown, but he was certain it was somewhere in the United States.

If Hajoon's assumption was correct, they would use a gate to return to their base.

While crossing borders through gates was prohibited, villains certainly weren't ones to care about laws. Nevertheless, Hajoon's concerns were casual, even with such considerations.

"Maybe I'll explore some good restaurants once this is over?"

It was a golden opportunity since he had always wanted to visit the United States.

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Hajoon's body gradually began to rise to the surface.

With a loud 'whoosh,' Hajoon's body emerged from the shadow.

The shadow then spat out Hajoon and Isabella before gently floating away.

The location the villain had chosen to release them was a simple prison cell, barred and grim.

A gloomy, oppressive atmosphere hung in the air of the prison.

Beyond the bars, a long corridor stretched out, flanked by walls lined with prison cells identical to theirs, each housing several people.

Some of the prisoners looked despondent, weeping in the corners of their cells, while others lay listlessly on the floor as if they had given up hope.

With one look, Hajoon was certain: this was their headquarters.

"So... you got caught too," Isabella said from behind him, her voice trembling.

Hajoon turned to look at her. She was slumped against the wall, her face full of self-reproach and unable to meet his gaze.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean for you to get caught too," she murmured, biting her lip and closing her eyes tightly. "I didn't mean to drag you into this..."

Hajoon silently watched her.

Her expression was filled with despair and regret, as if she regretted dragging him into her problems.

Seeing her in such a state, Hajoon unexpectedly yawned.

"Yawn~ Hmm~"

"..."

At that, her eyes narrowed sharply.

Isabella's voice rose in rebuke, "Do you not grasp our situation? Are you oblivious to the predicament we're in? The villain who used the shadow power is undoubtedly Borhel of Barus. We've been kidnapped by the villain organization Barus!"

Barus, the villain organization.

Barus was one of the most notorious villain organizations in the United States.

The threat of the organization itself was so significant that it was designated as S-rank by the Association. Above all, the leader of this organization, Borhel, was a major annoyance as he had the ability to consume people and escape at the same time.

Using this ability, he would kidnap the children of powerful families and stage hostage dramas.

Of course, Hajoon was well aware of this.

Rubbing his sleepy throat, Hajoon spoke up.

"I just woke up from sleep."

"Ha... seriously..."

Isabella started to lose energy in the face of Hajoon's overly relaxed demeanor.

"Really... You're quite audacious."

Suddenly, she couldn't help but laugh.

Not only did she feel that there was no point in getting tense, but Hajoon's nonchalant behavior, which was entirely mismatched with the situation, made her feel strangely the same.

"I have a question."

Having calmed down, Isabella asked Hajoon while looking at him.

"Were you present during the Nephertem Hotel attack incident?"

"Did Yoo Seolah tell you?"

"No, the name Kim Hajoon is famous."

Ah, is that so?

The reason he was suspected to be an Irregular was that he was at the scene of that hotel attack incident, so naturally, she would know about it.

"Well, yes, I was there."

"What was Seolah's behavior like then?"

At this, Hajoon had a feeling of what she wanted to ask.

And why her attitude towards him had changed.

'She must've heard from Han Siyoung.'

Obviously, Hajoon knew why she had reached out to Han Siyoung.

And in this story, Han Siyoung would've rejected her offer and advised her with his honest feelings.

He had suspected something was off since she apologized to him.

Thinking about Yoo Seolah's behavior at that time, Hajoon spoke.

"Ask the person involved. Don't ask me."

"But that..."

"At the very least, she did try to save the hostages then."

"I see..."

At his words, her head drooped.

Isabella, sporting a bitter smile for some unknown reason.

And then Isabella looked at Hajoon again, making up her mind.

'At least him...'

The boy who was kidnapped because of her.

Isabella was determined to save at least Hajoon and send him back safely.

Even if it seemed reckless.

Isabella asked, "If we escape from here, is there anything you want to do?"

Upon her question, after a moment of thought, Hajoon answered honestly.

"Well... Maybe explore some good restaurants?"

"Hehe, somehow that's very like you. Now, then..."

With that, she checked the handcuffs on her wrist and the bars.

Handcuffs and bars made of black iron.

The cuffs were unmistakably made of 'Black Iron,' a metal that absorbs magic.

The metal, five times stronger than ordinary iron and known for its magical absorption properties, was often used to suppress superhumans.

'If only these weren't here...'

Naturally, breaking Black Iron was impossible.

Then the only option was his own hand...

"Hoo..."

Isabella took a moment to catch her breath.

At least it wouldn't seal the mighty power of a superhuman, so forcibly removing it could work.

And if she poured all her strength into an enchantment for Hajoon, escape might just be possible.

"Alright!"

With determination, Isabella turned her gaze back to Hajoon.

That's when it happened.

Suddenly, Hajoon walked over to Isabella and smacked her on the head.

Thwack!

"Ouch!"

Rubbing her head from the sting, Isabella shot a glare at Hajoon.

"What the hell are you doing?!" she exclaimed.

"It seemed like you were about to do something unnecessary."

"Unnecessary? So, you have a solution for this situation then? Even the most potent heroes can't easily break Black Iron! Besides, my enchantment magic can temporarily bestow upon you strength surpassing that of a top hero!"

"So you expect me to carry your unconscious body out after that?"

It was clear that bestowing strength beyond that of a top hero would exhaust her, causing her to lose consciousness and collapse.

Not only would she be drained of her magical energy, but pouring all her strength into one person was an enormous strain in itself.

Isabella, hearing his words, merely lowered her head.

"Even if you escape. At least one of us should have the chance."

"And what about you?"

"I'll be fine. At least I'm worth keeping as a hostage. You're not."

Upon hearing this, Hajoon looked at her incredulously.

He could guess her intentions.

She probably felt some sort of responsibility and acted accordingly.

However, it was indeed an unnecessary move.

He wasn't caught because of her; he had come of his own volition.

'Well, I've had enough rest anyway.'

Ignoring her words, Hajoon turned his body away.

He then started contemplating his escape plan.

Hajoon too was aware of the strength of this Black Iron.

If we were to consider its strength alone, it would require the full power of Karthon to break it.

However, in Hajoon's pocket was a tool with even greater strength.

Hajoon promptly pulled out a finger-sized Maharazu from his pocket.

He slipped the handle of Maharazu into the hole in the chain connecting the cuffs, and then spoke to Philaten.

"Philaten."

[What can I assist with, Master?]

"Break the cuffs."

Simultaneously, with his command-

Clink! Creeeak!!

The tiny Maharazu wedged between the chains started to grow in size.

"That's..."

As the size of the Maharazu began to increase, Isabella's eyes widened in surprise.

Clang!!

With the chains between the handcuffs breaking apart, Maharazu revealed its intrinsic form.

In this shadowed space, the only radiant light was emitted from the golden hammer.

Among the superhumans of this era, there was no one who was unaware of this hammer's existence.

"Irregular............"

Everything that happened afterward seemed like a dream to Isabella.

Hajoon reached into his pocket again, took out a bandage, and started to wind it around his arm. In no time, Hajoon's face started to be blurred out like a mosaic.

Turning his head again, he looked at the iron bars, increased the size of his hammer in a similar way to before, and started to destroy the bars.

Clang! Kaclang!! Kwakaclang!!!!

"What?!"

"What's the matter?"

At the same time, a few of Barus' villains who had noticed the broken bars charged at Hajoon.

Hajoon, who had emerged from the prison, casually turned his head and looked at them before he disappeared in a flash.

Then.

Kwakwak!! Kwaang!!

The villains were swiftly slammed to the ground, and Hajoon, who reappeared, immediately started to break the bars of the prison cells where people were locked up in the same way as before.

After freeing all the people who were locked up in the prison, Hajoon.

Hajoon said to Isabella,

"Lead the people and escape."

"But, what about you...?!"

And then, noticing the commotion, the villains started to flood the prison corridor from both directions.

The faces of the people who were held hostage began to turn increasingly pale, and Isabella's expression also began to harden into despair.

The number of villains seemed to be at least a hundred.

And all the people who were imprisoned here were not superhumans but ordinary people.

It was impossible to fight while protecting all these people.

However, despite that...

"It's, annoying..."

Hajoon still looked composed.

He simply looked at the villains and rested his hammer on his shoulder, as if the situation itself was not a problem.

And when Hajoon disappeared again.

Kukung!! Kwang!! Kwakwak!!!

"Kuaaack!!!"

"Kheuk!!"

"Aaack!!!"

All the villains that had flooded into the corridor were slammed into the ceiling, walls, and floor, falling down in no time.

There was no order in what happened to the villains.

They all just shouted in pain all at once, equally.

"What the hell..."

Isabella, who had watched the whole situation, could only open her mouth in surprise.

It was as if Isabella was dreaming, not in reality.

A reality that could never happen.

But all this was not a dream.

"Hey."

"Huh?!"

And at some point, Hajoon, who had reappeared behind her again.

Hajoon said,

"I've found the exit."

"Found, when did you..."

"Go out that way and climb up the stairs."

With those words, Hajoon again rested his hammer on his shoulder and began to walk in the opposite direction of the exit he pointed out.

Isabella asked urgently,

"But, what about you?"

"I'll clean up a bit and then go, so you go ahead."

With those words, Hajoon silently began to walk in the opposite direction.

Isabella reached out towards Hajoon,

"Wai, wait!"

Hajoon disappeared again in a flash.

Isabella stared blankly in the direction where Hajoon had disappeared.

But knowing what she had to do first, Isabella immediately started running towards the exit following Hajoon's words.