The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 105

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Return of an EX-Rank Mage Episode 105
Raymond was the sort of person who genuinely savored conversations like this.
Practically vibrating with childlike excitement, he poured out his words with unbridled enthusiasm.
“There exists something called an EX+ Coin in this world.”
“Not an EX Coin?”
“EX Coins are extraordinarily rare and precious, but they don’t constitute the sort of object that directly interferes with the system itself. EX+ Coins, however… they border on divine authority.”
His eyes gleamed even as he spoke.
The expression of a scholar and research fanatic—unmistakable.
“Let me start by discussing EX Coins first.”
Even in higher dimensions, EX Coins were far from common currency.
Genuine ones were virtually nonexistent; only counterfeit versions circulated.
“For reference, EX Coins serve various purposes, but the most prominent applications are [Enhancement] or [Synthesis]. They’re particularly supreme in the [Talisman Synthesis] category.”
“You synthesize talismans together?”
It was a concept still unknown on Earth.
“Of course. It’s a technique where you synthesize talismans together to amplify their effects. Now that the 50th Floor has opened, awakeners specializing in that field should be emerging.”
Synthesis required vast quantities of materials, but among them, EX Coins were unquestionably the supreme catalyst.
From a mage’s perspective, it was tantalizing information.
But the real story began after that.
“EX+ Coins are nearly impossible to obtain in any world line. Even creating counterfeits has failed.”
I had never seen an EX+ Coin myself.
Despite clearing EX+ dungeons and even EX++ dungeons, the rewards were always only EX Coins.
“That’s how it works. The system itself intervenes to prevent the acquisition of EX+ Coins.”
“So that’s why they never dropped.”
“Precisely. But here’s the thing—Earth might be different.”
Earth, suddenly?
I tilted my head.
“Earth is a lower dimension. The system’s interference strength is necessarily weaker. Higher dimensions have far more sophisticated systems.”
“So because it’s a lower dimension, you can obtain EX+ Coins?”
Weren’t better rewards supposed to come from harder hunting grounds?
“Think about it. Don’t we applaud a one-year-old child merely for taking steps?”
“Ah…”
The analogy struck home unexpectedly.
Earth was an infant.
Rewards overflow from merely standing upright.
So the lower the dimension, the higher the probability of obtaining an EX+ Coin.”
“Then how can I acquire one?”
“The EX Shop—you can open it, yes?”
“Yes.”
“In the Floor 35 shop… you’ll see something. There’s a path to obtaining EX+ Coins hidden there, or so I’ve heard. However, you must possess abilities specialized in ‘curse-related’ skills.”
“The information is rather sparse.”
“That’s all I know.”
Choi Kang-mok quickly opened the EX Shop window to examine it.
───────
[EX Shop]
[Floor 35] [Mage-Exclusive]
1. Guide of Crimson Lotus – 30 EX Coins
───────
The item was a pair of red boots.
A legendary-grade item specialized in flame resistance.
But for Choi Kang-mok, who already possessed Thunder Steed Combat Boots, it held little significance.
Moreover, the price was 30 EX Points.
Currency inflation was severe.
‘Does this have something to do with EX+ Coins?’
…I couldn’t make the connection at all.
There seemed to be a hint somewhere, but I couldn’t grasp it.
‘I’ll need to research this further.’

* * *
“What exactly is in the Floor 35 EX Shop?”
Back at the An House, Choi Kang-mok examined the EX Shop window repeatedly.
At first it seemed ordinary, but after prolonged observation, I began to sense something was amiss.
“Huh?”
Fortune favored me.
Recently, I had been intensively studying ‘curses’ and ‘Haeju’ in the Floor 30s, so my senses had become quite acute.
“There’s a faint curse stench about this.”
Once I understood, things began to reveal themselves.
“If I consider this interface itself… as a Pocket Dimension.”
It was a small world where the principle of ‘purchasing special items by expending EX Coins’ was implemented.
I had already grown accustomed to grasping the structure of Pocket Dimensions.
“A concealment curse, then.”
More precisely, the type that ‘exists but remains invisible.’
A curse that operated like a kind of blind filter.
“So that’s why only curse-specialist mages can perceive it.”
It would be difficult to notice without expertise in curse magic.
“On the surface, it’s just an ordinary EX Shop.”
Christine, who had been pondering alongside me, kept her thoughts to herself.
Was such a thing as an “ordinary” EX Shop even possible?
‘Ordinary’ and ‘EX Shop’ in the same sentence felt somewhat contradictory.
“Fortunately, I am a curse-breaking mage.”
I could materialize intangible curses and strike them down.
In other words, I was a Haeju mage.
Focusing my concentration, a violet aura began seeping upward above the EX Shop.
Now I could finally see it clearly.
[Veil of the Void]
“Christine. What is the Veil of the Void?”
“That? It’s a perception-inhibiting curse. I lost to it once. During a mock battle at Real Madrid. Still haven’t found a way to break it. Not that I’m mad about it or anything.”
Somehow.
Looking at the records, I noticed an extra loss had been added.
“Strong Tree. Do you happen to know how to break it?”
“I think I do.”
Choi Kang-mok entered Tower Floor 4 (Reconstruction), which I could freely access.
“Separate the magic fragments and detach them.”
This much was easy now.
I guided the remaining fragments skyward and scattered them.
Then I struck the curse with a single fragment.
“…It’s holding up?”
The curse hanging over the EX Shop was tougher than expected.
One more strike. I fragmented the energy bolt again.
“Layering a couple of fragments together.”
Layering had become second nature.
Moreover, since I’d grown accustomed to creating energy platforms, handling individual energy bolts had become far easier.
‘The shop itself won’t be destroyed, right?’
Choi Kang-mok wiped away cold sweat and struck only the violet aura with precision.
[The personal domain curse ‘Veil of the Void’ has been destroyed.]
I succeeded in breaking the curse.
Something that had been invisible now began to reveal itself clearly.
“As expected.”
───────
[EX Shop]
[Floor 35] [Exclusive to Mages]
1. Guide of Crimson Flame – 30 EX Points
2. Seal of Justice – 20 EX Points
───────
───────
[Seal of Justice]
Classification: Consumable Item
A sacred token to protect rights unjustly violated through system interference.
The bearer can temporarily resist the system’s intervention.
───────
“Something like this exists?”
A hint for obtaining EX+ Coins.
Or a means to claim rights related to it.
The price of 20 EX Coins is more reasonable than expected.
It has the drawback of being single-use, but fortunately there’s no purchase limit.
EX Coin supply has been steady lately.
[You have purchased the Seal of Justice.]
At the same time,
[The Veil of Void becomes even more powerful.]
The violet aura deepened.
And the text ‘Seal of Justice’ disappeared.
“It doesn’t matter.”
If I crush a few fragments together—or rather, curse them away—the curse should be lifted.
I was quite confident about cursing away.
[Exiting Tower (Seoul) Floor 4.]

* * *
Christine nodded and spoke.
“Wow. Something like that exists.”
Everything was fascinating.
EX Coins, EX Coin Replicas, and even EX+ Coins.
“But anyway, I don’t really understand it.”
After all, Choi Kang-mok was the only person on Earth who could obtain EX Coins.
It had nothing to do with Christine herself.
“So once the curse-away title is obtained, you can destroy the Veil of Void by dealing damage with it, right?”
“It’s curse away, I said.”
“Right. Curse. Away. That’s what I meant.”
Christine nodded.
Soon, she would be able to take revenge on the one who dealt her a loss in the recent mock battle.
“Anyway, are you heading to Floor 38?”
“Yeah, I have to go, but…”
I wanted to climb the Tower quickly, but problems still remained.
‘Should I start matching strength or stamina runes and equipment?’
My level increased with each floor I climbed.
Each time, my magic became so powerful that enduring it grew increasingly difficult.
Especially my stamina recovery was far too slow.
───────
[Status Window]
Strength: 50 (21 +5 +24)
Stamina: 40 (35 + 5)
Agility: 60 (44 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 7)
Intellect: 35 (30 + 5)
*Remaining Stats: 4
───────
“My vitality is definitely on the low side.”
I found myself torn between supplementing it with equipment or investing more stats directly.
But I soon realized something.
What I needed right now wasn’t vitality.
“…Perhaps I should prioritize talismans first.”
The reason I’d been able to climb the Tower without major difficulties thus far was thanks to this talisman.
───────
[Side Effect Removal Talisman]
Eliminates side effects caused by continuous Tower ascension.
※Limited to Floors 1-30
※Natural stamina depletion is not classified as a side effect.
───────
It was thanks to reduced mental and physical fatigue that I could endure.
But this talisman no longer works.
“But if what Professor Raymond said about talisman synthesis is possible….”
Christine wore an exasperated expression.
“It’s completely classified information even in London. How did you find out?”
“Professor Raymond just told me.”
Right now, in some regions that have conquered Floor 50, talisman synthesis ability users are just beginning to emerge.
It’s still unknown to the world.
“Actually, I know a talisman synthesis ability user.”
“Already?”
“Yeah, you know her too.”
“Don’t tell me it’s Emily?”
“Yeah. That person is genuinely talented at crafting, enhancing, and synthesizing things.”
Before ascending Floor 38.
Choi Kang-mok decided to find Emily and attempt talisman synthesis first.
The natural choice for assistance was Emily, a genius in enhancement and synthesis and a talisman synthesis ability user.
Unexpectedly, however, Emily didn’t seem very confident.
“I… honestly, I’m still a beginner at this. The calculations are all correct, but… for some reason it won’t complete. Something… is missing. Just one more piece and it would be done….”
Then,
she suddenly slammed her head on the desk and screamed at the top of her lungs.
“I’m missing one piece! Just one more and it would be COM.PLETE!!! Aaaaah!! What is this?! Oh deity of new materials! Why have you forsaken me?!”
She threw herself flat across the desk entirely.
She was on the verge of tears.
Choi Kang-mok scratched his head and opened his mouth.
“I… think I might know what it is.”
“…Pardon?”
Emily slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes wavered slightly.
But soon, her expression grew serious.
“I apologize, but I’m not in the mood for jokes right now. I’m being completely sincere.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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