Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Instant Death, Time-Stop Word of Command Master
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Kyle.
The hero who saved the world.
The strongest Word of Command master.
He reincarnated.
With a new name: Kang Hyun.
On 21st-century Earth, not his original world.
At first, it felt like he was soaring.
'My chronic vocal cord nodules... they're gone!'
Vocal cord nodules for a Word of Command master?
It was the worst curse imaginable.
He'd still been the strongest, but it always left him with regrets.
Without those nodules, he could've reached even greater heights.
He might not have died in that final battle.
But now he'd reincarnated, and naturally, they were completely healed.
That damn vocal cord issue!
The reincarnated Kyle—now Kang Hyun—made a vow.
'This time, I really need to take care of my throat.'
Throat care rule number one.
Keep hydrating steadily.
Throat care rule number two.
Always stick to rule one.
"Disciple, fetch me some water."
"Lukewarm, right?"
"That's right."
Wear a mask at all times.
Speak as little as possible.
"Here you go."
He gulped down the water his elf academy student had brought.
Clean purified water from the dispenser—civilization's gift.
Earth really was great.
"Science makes life convenient. Peaceful. Good water too. Right?"
"How many times are you going to say that? My ears are calloused."
"You can never say it enough. Be grateful for the world."
"Teacher, you're such an old fogey."
"I'll kill you."
Everything was great.
Except for one thing.
When he reincarnated, a 'Gate' leading to his original world had opened.
The Black World Tree he'd sealed at the end was breaking free?
Invading Earth through the Gate?
But his vocal cords were healed?
Time to kill it again.
What's so hard about that?
He sipped his water.
Truth be told, he couldn't—not yet.
"...When the hell am I going to awaken?"
"There you go again. Just drink your water."
How did humans on this damn Earth have zero mana?
After the two worlds connected via Gates, a tiny fraction of Earth's people began awakening.
You needed to awaken to use mana.
But truly, just a tiny fraction.
Kang Hyun had reincarnated and lived this long without even a sign of awakening...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[The Hero's Contingency activates.] [You have awakened.] [Fight the Black World Tree with the Blessing of Growth.]
"Pffft-!"
"Gah! W-what is it!?"
Was this for real?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Analyzing Awakener...] [Seal on abilities confirmed.]
In the final battle, the Black World Tree had sealed his Words of Command.
That led to his death.
Though he'd succeeded in sealing the Black World Tree too.
If only his throat had been fine, he wouldn't have lost.
'Anyway, why the seal?'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Beginning seal release process.] [Seals on random Words of Command will be released upon meeting conditions.]
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Seal on Word of Command 【Stop】 released.]
Kang Hyun shot up from his seat.
The water up his nose and the drenched student meant nothing.
'I can feel it!'
The mana!
The unsealed Word of Command!
"W-what, suddenly spraying water like that... Where are you going?"
"I'm off to register my awakening!"
"Pardon!?"
Kang Hyun, who had thrown on his outer clothes and was dashing out, paused briefly.
'Ah, the mask.'
Moisturizing and warmth were key to throat care.
Especially in this changing season. Gotta be careful.
He put on his black mask and left Kang Hyun's Magic Academy.
A few minutes' walk brought him to the square.
Kang Hyun, running along, suddenly stopped in front of the statue.
The statue in the center of the square.
It depicted seven heroes, including his past self, Kyle.
One hundred years since Kyle's death and the connection between Earth and the original world.
Now, even Earthlings learned and respected the heroes' history.
Why?
To encourage Awakener activity.
To close the Gates.
If not, monsters would overrun, cities would be devastated.
Heroes are cool. Great.
Awakeners have similar powers.
Thus, Awakeners are cool. Honorable.
To foster that perception, nations worldwide actively idolized heroes from the other world.
"Mommy, I want a flower!"
"Okay, okay~"
The child headed to a flower shop.
Handed over crumpled bills with tiny hands.
And placed a rabbit grass flower in front of the statue with a plop.
A smile bloomed on the mother's face too.
Our child, so pure-hearted, respecting great figures!
They say hero worship aids emotional development in kids.
Flowers piled up before the statue.
People still left them regularly.
No wonder there were four flower shops visible in the square.
Even though the statue's subject was alive right here.
'Thanks.'
What a heartwarming sight.
Though it'd be even better without that Gate...
"Mommy, when will that go away?"
"We gave flowers, so let's go quick. Gates are dangerous!"
Kang Hyun frowned.
The Gate that appeared in the corner of the square a few days ago.
It was ruining the landscaping.
A raid team had entered, so it'd vanish soon.
Kang Hyun ignored it and enjoyed the moment.
Admired his own statue.
Maybe because he'd just awakened, but it looked even cooler.
'They really nailed it.'
Truly grateful.
Grateful, but...
'If only they'd preserved my Word of Command too.'
Designated it a cultural heritage or something.
The Word of Command had faded away as too difficult.
Now no one knew how to use it.
Ancient hero tech, flashy in movies, but essentially lost.
'Well, at least they honor my achievements like this.'
Thanks to that, he often gazed at the statue, reminiscing about comrades...
"Huh?"
Suddenly, a bird-like monster popped out from somewhere.
Flutter flutter-
It crashed into the statue.
Crack.
The statue's head broke off.
Kyle's head.
"You bastard!"
My statue!
Why was a monster here!?
"Kyaaaaah-!"
"G-Gate collapse! Run!"
"Mommy! Mommmy-!"
Chaos erupted in the square.
The Gate was spewing monsters.
Alarms blared immediately.
Weeeoooowoooowoooo-
[Gate collapse detected. Citizens, please evacuate to the nearest shelter. Repeating...]
People fled in panic.
But Kang Hyun stood still.
Gazing at the pouring monsters as if entranced.
'I can't hold back.'
His throat itched.
His throat screamed to use a Word of Command.
How long had he waited for this since reincarnating!
'Just once. Just one.'
A quick warm-up try.
Excited, he cleared his throat...
'Huh?'
Then, far off, a child tripped.
The same child who placed the rabbit flower at the statue.
A monster descended on her.
"Mommy-!"
"No! Sun-ah!"
He pulled down his mask.
"【Stop】"
Keeeen-
His voice echoed across the square.
And the square stopped.
The swarming bird monsters.
The fleeing people, the scattering flowers.
The fallen child, the screaming mother, the monster looming with jaws wide.
Everything stopped.
"Uh..."
This wasn't the plan.
He'd meant to stop just the one about to crush the child.
Out of practice, he'd botched the vocal resonance control.
He tried to release it immediately, but even the mana to dispel was gone.
From that one blast.
'Argh, this Earthling body!'
Freshly awakened F-Rank.
Mana like a rat's tail.
The frozen people rolled their eyes toward him.
He quickly raised his mask and pulled his hood low.
'This... gonna be a problem?'
Misusing Awakener powers was a serious crime.
And he'd stopped civilians too.
'But it turned out fine, right?'
No casualties.
The Word would wear off on its own soon.
He'd even bought time until the military and Awakeners arrived.
Yeah. No issue.
Just go.
"S-sorry."
The square was eerily quiet.
Ahem.
Throat felt dry.
Need to rehydrate quick...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The daily morning current affairs program Long Life and Prosperity.
Live broadcast as usual.
The opening was always the peaceful Heroes' Square.
But viewers tilted their heads.
"Mom~ The TV froze. Must be broken."
"Call customer service."
Not a TV issue.
Posts flooded the broadcaster's community.
💬 Comments
— User123
Am I the only one whose screen froze?
— Viewer456
Broadcast glitch.
— AngryFan
Can't you broadcast properly?
— NeutralGuy
Live broadcasts have glitches. Shifting to neutral.
At first, everyone misunderstood, but soon realized the anomaly.
— Observer
Screen didn't freeze? Look at the clouds moving.
— Spotter
Huh? Bird flying in the back.
— Confused
What is this?
Awakeners get tons of media spotlight.
Practically semi-celebs.
But a time-stopper?
If one existed, it'd be huge news.
At least, none known until now.
The frozen world had a mystical, cinematic allure.
— ChannelSurfer
Thought I switched channels.
— MovieFan
Me too. Thought it was a movie channel.
If anything matched, it was dramatized hero tales in films.
Scenes where Kyle, known for stopping time, unleashed his ultimate move.
Passersby filmed the frozen square in awe.
SNS videos spread like wildfire.
"Hey! NewTube viewers! Emergency live stream. See this? Not CG. I'm in a stopped world right now!"
— Skeptic
That's Heroes' Square, right?
— Hater
What a clickbait. This is Korean NewTuber level.
— Reporter
Gross clickbait. Reporting.
"No, for real! Look, everyone's taking pics!"
— Local
For real? It's near my house, looked out window—actually stopped.
— Believer
Really?
Word spread fast, confirming it was real.
The square Gate had indeed collapsed, Awakener forces dispatched.
No casualties either.
Thanks to the bizarre stasis.
Only then did everyone believe.
The footage wasn't faked.
The phenomenon in central Seoul drew massive attention.
Especially survivor testimonies fueling the buzz.
"Sob! Thought we were done for. I gritted my teeth and ran. I even considered baiting them to save my child..."
Gate collapses cause massive casualties.
The disaster everyone feared most.
This one in densely populated central Seoul.
A 'swarm-type monster flood' no less.
The outbreak type wreaking worst civilian damage.
Normally, a horrific tragedy.
"When my child fell, it felt like the sky collapsed...!"
But a miracle happened.
The child popped in front of the camera.
"Lord Kyle saved me! I gave him flowers, and he saved me!"
The child's eyes sparkled with innocence.
"I heard Lord Kyle say 'Stop'!"
No one but the child believed in Kyle's reincarnation.
But this was certain.
📰 Breaking News
[A new S-Rank Awakener appears!]
A renowned D-Rank Awakener and Gate studies professor.
He ranted enthusiastically on air.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Kang Hyun finished registering as an Awakener and returned to the academy.
But his diligent student Aden came running in a panic.
"T-Teacher! Look at this!"
She thrust her phone at him.
"W-what is it."
Like the thief who trips on his own feet.
He had a pretty good idea what it was.
A famous talk show analyzing Awakeners.
But this was an emergency live broadcast, not regular programming.
— Host
[S-Rank Awakener? Professor, explain in detail.]
— Professor
[That's definitely a 'Word of Command.']
— Host
[Word of Command? Isn't that a legendary technique? Too difficult, vanished in modern times—Lord Kyle's, right?]
So difficult, it was once called 'Dragon Tongue,' exclusive to dragons.
— Professor
[Not completely extinct.]
— Host
[Oh?]
— Professor
[Word of Command is magic's primal form. Even basic 1st-class spells resemble it today.]
— Host
[So that's a 1st-class spell?]
— Professor
[Are you joking?]
— Host
[Joking.]
Laughter effect from the audience.
— Host
[Survivors testified hearing 'Stop.']
【Stop】 was leagues beyond 1st-class magic.