I Became the Academy’s Time-Stopping Villain – Chapter 1

Chapter 1: For Now, the Test Continues

Translated and Proofread by Vine
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An illegal act was discovered during the entrance exam. Whispers rippled through the prospective cadets, drawing the examiner’s ire.

“Silence! The test isn’t over yet!”

The test wasn’t over? Despite that? It wasn’t physical enhancement or pain manipulation. It was hypnosis. Someone had used hypnosis.

A power to turn a person into a puppet, dancing to another’s tune, stripped of their will. And the test was continuing?

Unexpressed anxiety and fear took root in the hearts of the applicants.

“It hasn’t been confirmed that the artifact is truly a ‘hypnosis’ artifact. Focus on the test; there’s no need for undue alarm!”

The examiner’s attempt at reassurance fell on deaf ears. The test, he insisted, would continue. My next sparring opponent…?

“Provisional Cadet Chrono, to your position.”

“…Yes.”

“…Fuck that.”

Tempting reward or not, I knew better than to walk into that mess. Running. Running was the only sane option.

“Are you kidding me?”

My retreating steps halted, then reversed. I couldn’t die. Forward was a potential death sentence, but backward was a guaranteed one. What choice did I have?

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Back at the academy, as I registered at reception…

“Chrono. My name is Chrono.”

I’d changed my name. I vaguely recalled the original apostle’s name being something like ‘Timeless,’ but I wasn’t using it. If the name my parents gave me was going to be used against me, I was prepared to abandon it entirely.

“Huh? Your resident registration number is registered as ‘Timeless’…”

“…”

This wasn’t some medieval fantasy; it was the modern world. A name change required more than just asking nicely.

‘What should I do…?’

There was a way to register as Timeless, but what if someone else was possessed like me? Just in case…

“Okay, then next—”

“—Stop.”

Ten seconds. That’s all the time I needed. I froze time, hurried to the help desk, manipulated the documents to change my name to ‘Chrono,’ and returned to my spot before time resumed.

“—next person, please come this way.”

“…Phew.”

I hadn’t been caught. If they discovered it later, I’d deal with it later. A legal name change was always an option.

“Now then…”

Hair. Hairstyle. I needed to change my appearance as much as possible. A salon or barbershop would have been ideal, but not likely on the way to an entrance exam.

“Even if it’s just temporary…”

I ducked into the men’s restroom, wet my hair, and hacked at it with a knife, turning my shaggy mess into a rough, almost-buzzed sports cut.

“Wow… this really doesn’t suit me.”

Maybe it was because I was so thin. With short hair, I looked like I’d be drafted into the army at a moment’s notice. Still, it was better than looking like a vagrant. And more importantly, I didn’t look like ‘Timeless.’

Satisfied, I headed towards the auditorium. Along the way, every time someone glanced at my hair, I questioned my decision—should I have cut it? Should I have left it longer?

“Examiner, the provisional cadet has an unauthorized artifact!”

“An unauthorized artifact?”

Seeing the protagonist’s sword dance solidified my resolve. I needed to live quietly. Peacefully. Mediocrity was the goal. I drew the dagger from my waist.

“Provisional Cadet Mars, step forward.”

“Yes!”

My opponent was Mars. Wait.

“Provisional cadets, face each other and bow.”

“Uh…”

Forget the bowing. That was her. The heroine. The fiery red ponytail, the small scars scattered across her skin, and especially, the massive greatsword strapped to her back—it was definitely Mars.

“Don’t go down too easily, okay?”

“…Please be merciful.”

“Haha! You look weak, so I’ll go easy on you. Don’t be scared!”

“…”

That sounded suspiciously like a pre-emptive knockout declaration.

Trembling, a thought struck me. If I got knocked out, regardless of score or rank, I could still enter the academy, right? ‘Even better.’

I spread my arms, bracing for the impact of the greatsword. If I could withstand it, a painless knockout was preferable. If I was going down, I might as well go down in one shot. When I opened my eyes, it would be over. When I opened my eyes…

“…Shiiiit…!”

I was dead. I tightened my grip on the dagger. My swordsmanship consisted of some rudimentary kendo from middle school, but I had to try. There was a sliver of a chance, however small.

Time. It all came down to time. Even if I could only control ten seconds…

[Limit: 3s/10s]

“Ah…”

I’d used up some of my time on the documents. Only three seconds left. What could I possibly do with three seconds?

“Begin!”

“Hyaaa!”

Before I could even finish the thought, Mars charged, her greatsword whistling through the air. Dodge. I had to dodge.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

“Eek! Eeeek!”

The sword’s size, ironically, was my saving grace. Its sheer mass made it slow, giving me just enough time to evade—for now.

“Tsk… slippery as an eel!”

“…Sigh.”

Getting close to her was proving difficult. I’d have to use my ability.

‘Is he watching me?’ A glance at the audience confirmed my suspicions. The protagonist was definitely watching. Damn it. I couldn’t risk stopping time.

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“Stop running and fight me!” Frustrated, Mars’s attacks became wilder, faster. The simpler pattern, ironically, made them easier to dodge—for a seasoned fighter. For an ordinary person, patterns were meaningless against a greatsword aimed at your face.

“Got you!”

“Eek! Eeeeek!”

This was it. I was going to die. Done for. One hit. Was this how it felt? My vision swam. I didn’t want a direct hit, so I raised my dagger to block.

Clang!

‘Shit.’ Blocking with a dagger was one thing, but physics was physics. The greatsword pushed through. I was going down.

‘Ah…’

It pushed through, ignoring my feeble resistance. The blade reached my shoulder.

‘Ah, aaaaaah…’

“Aaaaagh!!!”

Desperate, I focused on the dagger, freezing time around it. Time and space were connected, weren’t they? If I stopped time on the dagger, wouldn’t the greatsword stop, too…?

—Claaaang!!

“What…?!”

“Fuck?!”

The greatsword rebounded as if it had struck an invisible wall.

“Ugh…!” Unable to handle the unexpected recoil, Mars stumbled. She’d put her full force into that swing.

‘Now!’ This was my chance. I rushed towards the momentarily stunned Mars, pouring every ounce of strength into my legs.

“—Huh…?”

“Gotcha.”

Mars tried to swing again, but I was already too close.

“Dieeee!!!”

“Gah—?!”

Daggers hurt like hell. I slammed the pommel into the top of Mars’s head with all my might—a perfect, unrepeatable strike. Now, all I could do was pray she’d pass out.

“Ah… ugh, ugh…!”

“…Fuck.”

Clatter, clatter. The greatsword clattered to the floor. Mars collapsed.

I slowly turned to the examiner. “I… won, right?”

“…The winner, Chrono.”

Victory. The mission window flashed.

“…I did it.” I lived. I survived. Relief washed over me in a trembling wave, and then…

– Rank Up conditions met.
– Rank Up Qualification acquired.
– Transferring to Chronos’ Temple for Rank Up.

“—Huh?” My vision blurred. My body collapsed. And Everything Faded to Black.

“You’ve done well, my Apostle.”

“…Who are you?” A… woman? A figure, radiating an otherworldly presence, materialized before my eyes.

“My apologies for the late introduction. I am Chronos, the god who governs time, the true master of Olympus.”

“…” Chronos was… a woman?

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