The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 133

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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 133
The time for confession and reflection had ended.
Now came the matter of punishment.
Seoul Lord Lee Byung-gyu spoke first.
“We need to set an example. What if we revoke their Awakener status? With re-awakening forbidden as a condition.”
At those words, my ears perked up.
Not because it would harm Kim Kang,
‘I can use my abilities in that way too?’
Recalling the case of Kang Pal-do made it easy to understand.
Even without landing a direct hit with magic, I could adjust it precisely to destroy an Awakener’s status upon impact.
‘Oh.’
Research into destroying Awakener status through magic.
This was certainly a topic worth exploring in depth.
However, Choi Kang-chul, the occupying Lord and head of the EX-rank Dedicated Team, had a different perspective.
“I believe practical benefits for the EX-Rank Awakener should come first. Revoking Kim Kang’s status might be satisfying, but it offers no real gain.”
“We can use it as a warning—that careless interference could result in losing one’s status.”
He was also considering ‘fundamental destruction.’
Destruction that even Awakening Orbs couldn’t restore.
If that were proven, few would dare challenge us.
“That would be better done through Real Madrid’s assassin. It carries far more weight than targeting Kim Kang.”
Lee Byung-gyu’s eyes narrowed.
Once a manager of the scouting team.
Choi Kang-chul, who used to fear him, now countered his opinions from nearly equal standing.
Lee Byung-gyu found that fact… quite gratifying.
‘I share the same thought, actually.’
Yet as Seoul Lord, he couldn’t easily forgive the Incheon Lord who had tried to harm an EX-Rank Awakener.
If they let this slide, a second and third Kim Kang would emerge.
“I agree with that as well. But to forgive this one, there must be clear benefits for the EX-Rank Awakener. Head of the EX-rank Dedicated Team, do you have a method?”
I raised my hand.
In effect, I held the deciding authority.
“Send them to the Boddari Union.”
A massive organization centered in Gigapolis, controlling global logistics.
But internally, numerous problems had begun festering and erupting.
“It seems their financial management isn’t working well.”
This was something Incheon excelled at.
Since the Tower civilization, Incheon had become Korea’s wealthiest city.
Kim Kang and the Vice Lords at its center were skilled in accounting.
“I’ll give you three years. Stabilize the Boddari Union’s financial system within that time and restore fiscal health. After three years…”
Then I would evaluate and decide whether to revoke their Awakener status.
…But I found it tedious to handle directly.
There’s a mountain of research to conduct, but I don’t want to concern myself with it.
“Let’s have the EX-rank Dedicated Team leader make the judgment.”
Lee Byung-gyu nodded in agreement.
Choi Kang-chul also consented.
Kim Kang, the person in question, accepted the disposition with equanimity.
“I’m grateful for such a lenient sentence.”
He had resigned himself to becoming a non-Awakener.
After all, he had attempted to harm an EX-Rank Awakener.
His past self filled him with revulsion—so much so that he would have welcomed death at someone’s hands.
‘This is far too generous a treatment.’
Truly befitting one who dreams of becoming the emperor of a new era.
The Boddari Union.
He had been entrusted with the mission of restoring the integrity and trustworthiness of the organization known as the new emperor’s ‘left arm’.
‘If anything, it’s a promotion in status.’
Yet he felt no joy.
Responsibility weighed heavily upon his chest.
“I won’t disappoint you. I’ll do my utmost to assist you.”
Lee Byung-gyu imposed one additional condition.
“A man who has betrayed once can betray again. A magical seal is necessary.”
“….”
Though I wondered if it had to go that far, I said nothing further.
The two of them were quite close once, or so I heard.
There was a time when they were like brothers.
-Lee Byung-gyu. Your expression is quite dark.
-A collision between conviction and emotion. Irony is always captivating, isn’t it?
-A tug-of-war between stabilization and runaway—you’re sincere about it…
Just like
us 🙂
I opened my mouth.
“I don’t think we need to go so far as a Lord’s Contract.”
That would be too heavy a burden for Lee Byung-gyu.
I don’t want to demand more from someone already giving their all.
“Besides, we have magic specialists on hand.”
Lately, inquiries have been pouring in from the Magic Research Institute.
They were asking me to visit just once.
And someone said they would come find me directly.
Everyone wanted the same thing: ‘a stabilization fragment refined from an unbreakable stone’.
“Professor Raymond is also skilled in sealing magic.”
“…Pardon?”
Lee Byung-gyu tilted his head in confusion.
Wouldn’t it be better for me to impose the restriction through a Lord’s Oath rather than that madman professor’s prohibition?
Then, suddenly, I understood.
‘He’s showing consideration for me while simultaneously preserving his authority as an Emperor.’
I’d even worried sometimes that he might be too virtuous.
…It was unfounded concern.
‘Indeed.’
Looking back at his past actions, that wasn’t the case at all.
When wielding benevolent influence, he shines like the sun.
Conversely, to forces that threaten him, he responds with absolute retribution.
The assassin Kim Yu-jun. The Necromancer Jo Ju-won, and most recently the Shenyang Incident.
All of it was evidence.
Lee Byung-gyu continued his silent admiration.
‘Even I, his closest confidant, was deceived for a moment.’
That the EX-Rank Awakener was an extraordinarily virtuous being.
I’d fallen briefly into such an idealistic fantasy.
The masses would be even more so.
The EX-Rank Awakener they see is flawless.
‘The Emperor of a New Era. One perfectly suited to wear that crown’s weight.’
He seems to be advancing steadily toward that path.
Beneath meticulous imperial calculation.

* * *
The Seoul Guild declared war on behalf of the EX-Rank Awakener.
[Seoul Guild Declares War on Real Madrid]
Through collusion with the Incheon Guild, the EX-Rank Awakener’s identity was discovered.
Subsequently, the fact that they attacked the EX-Rank Awakener was revealed.
[Wow, these guys are really crazy haha. They messed with the EX goddess?]
└Throwing sewage from Spain ㄷㄷ
That’s some serious trolling, for real.
Lol, the Guild proved they literally have no brains ;;; They’re touching an EX Awakener at this point?
However, the content of the declaration was extraordinary.
In 48 hours from now.
It was a warning that the Real Madrid Guild headquarters would be struck.
[Isn’t this telling us to evacuate now?]
That’s some subtle consideration, huh?
└48 hours isn’t even the travel time to Spain
└It’s faster if you go through London;;;
└Going through London would be even quicker than that
There were reactions similar to those during the Shenyang Incident.
The community is going crazy right now over whether he’s coming or not lol
└There’s no way he’d actually come, right? It can’t be easy to leave a safe border.
└But he actually went to Shenyang back then.
└That’s because it connects to the EX Layer. Spain doesn’t.
└Even from London, it’s a straight-line distance of 1,000 km. Only a madman would come all that way.
He’ll come. He’s an EX-Rank Awakener. He did it in Shenyang too.
He won’t come. No matter what, it doesn’t make sense. This is different from Shenyang.
The debate grew fierce.
Antonio, the Real Madrid Lord, convened a council of lords.
“Actually, this works out perfectly.”
If the EX-Rank Awakener truly comes?
Then Real Madrid will mobilize all its forces and hunt down the EX-Rank Awakener.
“They declared war first, and now we’re in a state of war. If someone gets hurt during wartime… that’s just routine.”
And if he doesn’t come?
That’s fine too.
“The narrative that the EX-Rank Awakener is afraid—that alone will elevate Real Madrid’s standing to the next level.”
But.
“He’ll come.”
An arrogant man who dreams of becoming an emperor.
He will absolutely keep his word.
“And he’ll keep the time precisely.”
That would be his pride.
Approximately 47 hours remained.
The possible infiltration routes were London, Italy, and Poland.
London was by far the most likely.
But then, a traitor emerged.
Spain, the Balearic Islands, and Majorca were at the center of it all.

* * *
The international landscape shifted with dizzying speed.
[Majorca Lord Surrenders to Occupying Lord]
[Shameful Act of Betrayal]
[Majorca Tower 1st Floor Converted to EX Layer]
Javier, the Lord of Majorca, became the target of relentless condemnation.
Traitor. Shame of Spain. Betrayer of Western Europe. Dark chapter in European diplomacy. Shattered pride of the Mediterranean.
Yet Javier paid no mind.
Instead, he stepped before the media and spoke with brazen confidence.
“So what? Damn it all. I ride the tide of the times. That’s the virtue of a Lord. You ignorant fools.”
Resentment toward Javier reached a fever pitch.
Meanwhile, Javier held a secret meeting with Antonio, the Lord of Real Madrid.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Javier.”
“Think nothing of it.”
Javier was no traitor, no shame to Spain.
Surrendering the Tower was a strategic operation orchestrated by Spain’s Lords.
There were three possible infiltration routes for the EX-Rank Awakener. Spain’s influence was weak in all of them.
No one knew where the attack would come from.
That’s why they deliberately surrendered Majorca.
To draw them here.
“To keep my word, I will come to Majorca.”
I knew the EX-Rank Awakener possessed extraordinary power.
I knew they could enter and exit the Tower through non-physical means.
But I had also deduced that this ability was constrained by ‘territorial jurisdiction.’
Upon exiting the Majorca Tower, they would inevitably emerge somewhere within Majorca’s domain.
“We will capture the EX-Rank Awakener here.”
Antonio extended his hand.
Javier grasped it firmly.
“In time, Spain will remember your sacrifice.”
“There is no need to remember. I simply believe that an EX-Rank Awakener should belong to Spain.”
Spain was a nation teeming with some of the world’s most elite Awakeners.
Their greatest forces began converging secretly on Majorca.
All burned with fervent determination. They were prepared to lay down their lives to claim the EX-Rank Awakening for themselves.

* * *
At that moment, Choi Kang-mok was not in Majorca.
London. He had arrived at Christine’s secret villa.
Time remaining: 24 hours.
Christine spoke first.
“I understand you deliberately drew their attention toward Majorca.”
If their vigilance concentrates there, then a path opens in another direction—that much is true.
But there exists a physical limitation called ‘distance.’
From London to Real Madrid, the straight-line distance exceeds 1,000 kilometers.
“So what’s your plan from here?”
“I’m going to attempt it. In a meaningful way.”
Christine’s jaw dropped as she listened.
“You’re going to snipe that location from here?
A wide-area snipe
with magic? Does that even make sense? Physically? No, be honest with me. You have another method, don’t you? It’s classified, so you won’t tell me?”
Choi Kang-mok’s cheeks flushed slightly.
My heart races.
“I’ve already succeeded with more difficult concepts—attacking inside the Tower from outside it, striking beyond the Tower from within it. And on top of that, I’ve developed domain restriction based on my scroll-crafting experience.”
My lips curve upward naturally.
Boasting about magic to a mage is always justified.
“…You’re truly insane, you know that? But no matter what, the distance is….”
“When you keep doing harder things, the easier ones surprisingly work out.”
The distance is somewhat problematic, but I want to try.
Refusing to act out of fear of failure—that’s not befitting a mage.
Christine blinked rapidly.
‘Wait, but….’
Now that she thought about it, something felt slightly off.
Did people normally call a 1,000-kilometer snipe just a ‘snipe’?
Wouldn’t ‘ballistic missile’ be more fitting?
Christine’s magical conceptual framework began to waver.

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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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