The Academy’s Time Stop Player - Chapter 172

After losing his parents in a car accident, Ryan immediately caught his fiancee cheating on him with his best friend. In just a few days, he lost everything he loved, so Ryan decided to buy a house in the mountains to process all those events. However, something happened before he could even enter his new home: the end of the world. Monsters began to appear out of nowhere, and dragons began to dominate the skies. After losing everything, Ryan, who had lost his sense of reality, found new goals with the world in that state: survive and get stronger. Dungeons, classes, monsters, skills, the chance to obtain the DNA of other monsters... Ryan was decided to use them all because he no longer would become a spectator in his own life. Maybe with power, he won’t lose anything anymore. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

Keiran has always dreamed of being a hero—exploring vast worlds, defeating powerful foes, and growing stronger with every battle.In his favorite RPGs, he could live that fantasy. But when he's suddenly summoned by the god of Eteria, his dream becomes reality.Chosen to stand against the encroaching darkness threatening to consume the world, Keiran is granted four extraordinary abilities: the power to absorb, upgrade, create, and transfer skills.With limitless potential at his fingertips, he embarks on an adventure to collect, refine, and bestow incredible powers upon allies and himself.As he hones his abilities, forging new paths in magic and combat, Keiran will shape Eteria’s fate.From a summoned gamer to a legendary hero, he will not only fight the darkness—he will redefine what it means to be powerful.

This is a tale that distorts the scenario of an otome game.An orphan girl named Alicia is attacked by a woman trying to steal her body to become the “heroine”. From the fragmentary knowledge she acquires, Alicia learns that this world is the stage of an “otome game” in a “world of sword and magic”.Having learned the truth from the knowledge she obtained, the immature Alicia dismisses the otome game as “nonsense” and runs away from the orphanage to escape the fate of the “heroine”.A villainess aims to take her life. A fake heroine appears. Alicia trains herself using the fragmentary knowledge she has gained in order to survive, growing into the “Strongest Assassin” that is feared by both the Thieves’ Guild and the Assassins’ Guild.

“The masterminds are cooler than heroes,” I mutter as I stare at the chess pieces before me. It is easier to be the one who sits in the shadows and moves the pieces, likewise deciding the flow of the game.Heroes will foolishly sacrifice their lives for the good cause and villains will sacrifice the world for their own gain, but masterminds will use both the heroes and villains to their own benefit.Why, you ask? Well, that's because I've lost my life once while trying to be a hero so, I don't want that anymore. I'd rather be a mastermind who molds the world as per my convenience and live peacefully. Because, why not?***[Defender of Divine Glory says you are the hope of this world.]What?[Goddess of Wisdom believes that you will be the one to save the world.]Wait, what?![Propose the Grand Duke the idea of a fake marriage.]And, why would I do that?![Stop the assassination of Prince Eric.]Why would I save him?![The candidates for the throne are:... Who will you choose?]Ah! I give up...It seems like a curse that anyone who wishes for a slacker life in Isekai will have to go through the most troublesome things.In my past life, I died because of one rookie mistake but after being transmigrated in the world of fantasy I've gotten an opportunity to start afresh, but unlike the protagonists who look for their love and glory, I'd rather make money and live a life of a slacker.I have magic, I have power and I have money, what else do I need?Well, that was the plan but this damn system is getting on my nerves. I mean who in their sane mind would want to mess with the complicated royal family and political affairs? But that's not all though.I've also become the saviour of this world. Things just can't be anymore worse!Besides, the penalty of failing this quest is...[Failure: Destruction of the World.]It seems like if I screw up in selecting the right person then the destruction that is going to befall the world won't be stopped.If I speak of my reward then it's this vague thing.[Reward: Fulfillment of any wish.]“If that's the case then, I'd rather choose the person who would be the best fit for the throne.”And that's how I decided that I would become the Kingmaker.