I Became the Academy’s Time-Stopping Villain – Chapter 66

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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Coincidence piled upon coincidence. Luck upon luck. It reached a point where even the gods, without realizing it, began to cheer. They wanted him to win. They believed he could win. To not give up and keep moving forward. They prayed with their hands clasped together, and created a ‘hero’ who could wield the ‘hands of god’.

[I really… hated this meeting, and I don’t want to see you again.]

The scene of a hero executing justice with the sword given by a goddess created a deep impression on the hearts of the gods who watched.

“Ur… was it? You have a good eye. You’ve embraced a good child.”

“Rather than me embracing him, it feels like I’m the one being embraced.”

Ur clasped her hands together and stared at the hero beyond the mirror. A long, arduous trial. As it was coming to an end—

—Crunch…!

“…..Uh…?”

The situation changed drastically again.

[Gu, OOOOOOOOH! Guu, Guoooooooooh!!!]

“N-No… Noooooooo!!!”

The club struck the ground. The dagger given by the goddess was shattered. The blessings of the gods were cut off, leaving behind only miserable reality and endless despair.

[Cough! Huff…!]

“Chrono… snap out of it. Just a little more, just a little more and you can do it…!”

The troll’s condition was not normal. It had been pushed to the edge and had exceeded its limits. It was also at its wit’s end. One more attack. Just one more attack was needed. So, please—

[In…justice…..is]

“Ugh…!”

Get up. You can get up. You can do it. You’re the type of person who can do anything if you put your mind to it. Endure the pain. Endure the ordeal. Shake it off and get up. You won’t be defeated by this, right?

“Chrono…”

Believe. I believe in you.

Ur clasped her hands together and prayed. It was ridiculous for a god to pray, but she prayed nonetheless.

[Familiar…]

“Ah…!”

Did her prayers get through? He was struggling to get up. He stumbled several times, but when he finally stood up—

[Kuh, haaa…!]

“…Chrono…?”

He was crying. It was an expression she had never seen before. His face was filled with pain and misery.

[Ugh… Ugggggh…!]

He was trying to hold back his tears. He was trying to get a grip on himself. But he couldn’t. The tears kept flowing, and his defeated body crumbled.

[Ugh! Guh, ah… aaack…!!!]

“…”

He was trampled by the troll. His head was stomped on and kicked. He tried to curl up and endure, but his trembling body was clearly at its limit.

[Shit, it…. daamn……!]

“…Chrono…”

Honestly, Chrono was already at his limit. He didn’t want to die. He wanted to live. He told himself that this was familiar, and he sharpened his already frayed will. He pushed past his limits. He endured, held on, gritted his teeth, and tried his best. And at the end of it all—instead of sweet victory, all that awaited him was a painful ‘death’.

[Cough! Guh, guhk….. Uweeek…!]

“…Huff… ugh… sob…!”

Tears flowed. He groaned in pain. His limbs trembled. His body was covered in blood. The hero who had mustered all his strength—no, the ordinary boy who had ‘tried to become a hero’—met his end. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he resisted, there was an insurmountable wall. No matter how hard he tried to overcome it, he ended up with a shattered soul. In the end, his broken spirit cried out.

[Sa…ve me…]

“—!!!”

Save me.

[Save… me… please save meeeeee!!!]

He screamed, trembling. He crawled on all fours, trying to escape. His face was filled with terror. His face was wet with tears. It was a pathetic sight, a scream filled with despair. It was ugly, dirty, and not ‘heroic’ at all. Just the voice of an ordinary ‘weakling’. The goddess who watched silently spoke.

“He finally understands his place.”

“Ugh—!”

What did you just say?

“What’s with that strange expression? Was it not that fool who was arrogant enough to think he could do anything without relying on a god?”

“Stop saying that!”

He tried! He kept fighting! He broke the promise first— Chronos, you were the one—!

“Hmph… what does it matter?”

“Wh-What… what are you— Kyaaaack?!!”

Ur was suddenly pushed to the ground. Chronos, who had suddenly appeared, stepped on her body and said,

“You don’t need to pray. It’s not arrogance for a human to think they can do things on their own. They were given free will after all. However, I have decided that he has gone too far. He ignored my warnings, and now he’s paying the price. And as for you, you’re also at fault.”

You short-tongued, incompetent fool.

“…Kuhuk…!”

Chronos’s right foot pressed down on Ur’s back. She groaned in pain but continued to look at the mirror.

‘Chrono…’

I’m sorry. I tried to protect you. I did my best.

[Ah… ah, ah…!!!]

His voice was filled with terror.

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!]

His screams were filled with despair. The large club of the troll was about to crush Chrono—

—Clang!

[…..Huh…?]

“…Chrono?”

Something had protected Chrono. A translucent, reddish barrier surrounded his body. It was warm and gentle, and had always been by his side.

—Thud!

“…”

The troll was furious and tried to break the barrier. The barrier started to crack. A strange metallic sound came from the sword, but the barrier held and blocked the troll.

“…Huff.”

It wouldn’t last long. But it was enough time for Chrono to change.

“True love, indeed.”