The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 181

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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 181
The Barbarian Warriors who invaded Earth hail from a dimension called the Brain.
Just as Earth’s dimension is called Earth, their dimension is simply called the Brain.
The Brain is a world shrouded in endless jungle.
The Barbarian Warriors there are tribespeople scattered deep within the jungle, warrior clans bound together by blood ties.
A collective of tribal societies organized around kinship.
Ordinarily they live without interfering with one another, but when the Grand Chieftain issues a command, all tribes unite and wage war.
War is both a festival and an obligation to them.
The Grand Chieftain’s summons is a rallying signal that shakes the entire Brain.
Usually, newly connected lower dimensions become hunting grounds. This time, the hunting ground was Earth.
And… this hunt ended in utter failure.
“Atublang is dead.”
Not only Atublang, but all the valiant warriors perished.
Not a single one returned.
Grand Chieftain Smattu asked.
“Not even one survivor?”
“None.”
Smattu nodded with a satisfied expression.
“They chose death over flight.”
“As it should be.”
Indeed, a choice befitting true warriors.
Survivors fleeing instead of dying?
That would be unworthy of warriors.
Smattu would have personally beheaded them.
“You dare kill my warriors?”
Smattu found it difficult to forgive Earth.
Worse still, they fought without honor.
“They used poison cowardly?”
“Yes.”
I do not know why Atublang died.
Just as he was about to violate the captured Earth males, he suddenly collapsed.
One of the males must have used poison.
No, they definitely used poison.
“How contemptible.”
No matter how dire the situation, to assassinate with poison using captives?
It was an act of cowardice beyond what warriors could even imagine.
Of course, that was not it.
He simply died from the ‘data fragment’ containing a portion of the damage.
Atublang’s body could not withstand the damage.
“Prepare a second expedition. I will command it personally.”
“Yes!”
“Furthermore, I will not acknowledge their warrior status.”
“!”
My subordinates’ bodies went rigid.
Not acknowledge their warrior status?
That meant physical castration.
“Great Chieftain!”
“We shall kneel before the Great Chieftain’s majesty and bow in submission!”

* * *
The Boddari Union continued expanding its influence.
Just as mage Choi Kang-mok grew in multiple ways, so too did the Boddari Union.
Having conquered Earth’s distribution networks and logistics, they now controlled information as well.
Now that reach extended beyond Earth’s boundaries into other dimensions.
He had found Lee Byung-gyu.
“This is information regarding the Barbarian Warriors’ dimensional Brain.”
Lee Byung-gyu let out a dry cough as he reviewed the documents.
“Reading just the report, it’s a dimension of truly ignorant and brutish fools with nothing but strength.”
“Yes. Precisely accurate.”
“Yet they haven’t been conquered by other dimensions….”
“They’re fools, but their pride is so immense that they’re unsuitable for enslavement, apparently.”
They possess strength.
But they cannot be enslaved.
Multiple dimensions have attempted to civilize them, but all have failed.
“And it’s not as though valuable treasures emerge from that place either.”
They cannot be used as slaves.
There are no treasures.
Higher dimensions have nothing whatsoever worth coveting there.
“Most of it is tropical jungle region… with strange endemic diseases and massive insects, making it worthless even as territory.”
Agriculture is impossible.
It is land without value for conquest.
Had there been even a single massive mine in that land, it would have been occupied long ago.
Whether to call this good fortune or bad fortune.
“So that’s how they’ve survived until now.”
“Instead, because of their violent temperament of attacking first whenever a lower dimension appears….”
They earned the nickname of gatekeeper dimension, it seems.
They essentially volunteered as scouts, roughly assessing the capabilities of newly connected lower dimensions for other dimensions.
“Arcsia was a prime example of that.”
Through the Barbarian Warriors, they grasped rough information and established tactics.
From the perspective of higher dimensions, it was a convenient arrangement.
“The problem is… there are no maps of that dimension.”
The Tropical Jungle Region.
There were no intelligent beings capable of creating maps there, and even if maps were made, the terrain changed frequently due to constant floods and natural disasters.
Kim Chul-in’s expression darkened.
“Providing maps to EX-Rank Awakeners is one of my primary responsibilities…”
“So…”
Lee Byung-gyu finally understood why Kim Chul-in had taken time out of his busy schedule to find him.
“You want me to convey your apologies to the EX-Rank Awakener for not being able to provide maps?”
“…In summary, yes.”
…Couldn’t he just tell him directly?
At this point, who else besides Kim Chul-in could bring this much information about the Brain?
‘These are sufficiently high-level intelligence reports.’
Yet he couldn’t bring himself to speak because he felt too sorry.
And Choi Kang-mok hadn’t even asked for maps in the first place.
Lee Byung-gyu was at a loss for words.
‘Sometimes that loyalty of his is frightening.’
…As his number one fan, my pride is a bit hurt?
I need to work harder.

* * *
While heading toward the coordinates Kang Hye had provided, the ‘Notepad’ began to glow.
‘Again?’
What scheme were these writers plotting now?
As if treating me like a boss monster wasn’t enough, now they’re trying to interfere with the 70th Floor boss battle?
[In the near future, a magical entity will reach the dimensional junction. With Earth’s current level of magical civilization, it will be difficult to activate the dimensional junction, but with ■■■■’s assistance, who knows. Therefore, we have strengthened NPC restrictions to prevent ■■■■ from reaching Iraq.]
Ah, so that’s why I couldn’t reach Raymond.
It seems the ‘restrictions on NPCs’ have become somewhat stronger.
[However, a problem still remains. The magical entity happens to be from a divided nation. The entire universe is aware of this magical entity….]
The Explorer Crew led by Kang Hye included many members from the Tunneler origin.
Awakeners who only awaken in divided nations.
They possessed the ability to break boundaries and create passages to other countries.
“Brother, you’re here?”
In the middle of the desert.
A radius of approximately 300 meters.
A considerably vast space was dyed in emerald light.
A space where incomprehensible symbols of all kinds rippled.
It was a magic circle with green light blooming in the air.
“Did I win the bet?”
“Yes.”
Regardless of the bet, repeatedly conquering the lower floors was also important.
The foundation of magic is repetitive mastery, after all.
I’m genuinely grateful to Kang Hye for suggesting it first.
Kang Hye glanced at Choi Kang-mok.
‘I lost the bet, and he’s not even upset?’
Did he let me win?
I feel a bit frustrated.
‘No, that can’t be it.’
But there is one thing I’m grateful for.
‘Professor Raymond deliberately didn’t call him.’
There are many Tunneler-origin explorers on this side, after all.
He must have given us an opportunity.
Yet he doesn’t show a hint of it.
‘Pretending to be obsessed with magic alone, yet he subtly takes care of everything that matters.’
Seeing this makes it seem like he’s not actually insane.
Sometimes I worry he’s losing his humanity, but moments like this put my mind at ease.
Of course, that’s not it.
He’s simply been unreachable.
Kang Hye smiled softly and spoke.
“We’ll enter first.”
It’s only natural for mages to follow behind explorers.
Choi Kang-mok agreed as well.
Movement through the dimensional junction.
A sensation similar to using the Tower entrance washed over me.
A slight dizziness.
And then an unfamiliar landscape came into view. A humid smell filled the air.
-This is a complete tropical jungle region.
-It’s far too hot and humid. The lack of cleanliness is unpleasant. This environment is rather disagreeable to Mayo.
Then.
A sharp scream erupted from among the explorers.
“Sh-shit!”
“What the hell is that!”
Through the undergrowth.
Insects as massive as humans crawled forward, their red eyes gleaming with predatory hunger.
The scent of humans. Monsters that had caught the smell of prey.
“Aaaahhh!”
One explorer was caught by something bizarrely red and whip-like, yanked upward into the trees.
It was a tongue.
A long, thick monster’s tongue covered in viscous slime.
In the trees above, a lizard as enormous as a large carnivore became visible.
Crunch!
There was no time to react.
The lizard clamped down on the explorer’s head.
“Lee Hyung-joo!”
The explorer’s companion screamed in anguish.
Crunch, crunch.
The sound of a skull being crushed echoed….
‘What?’
The lizard’s body shattered into pieces.
A handful of spheres, like miniature energy bolts, obliterated the creature’s form.
Choi Kang-mok grinned wickedly.
‘Perfect.’
I’d succeeded in destroying only the lizard’s body.
The explorer remained unharmed.
My control had improved dramatically.
Not a single fragment had scattered toward us.
‘I’ve mastered precision calibration.’
After thousands upon thousands of attempts.
I could now wield it even in these desperate, life-or-death moments.
The basic spell Energy Bolt—I could now handle it with near-perfect finesse.
The satisfaction was immense.
-Thud!
The lizard’s head crashed to the ground.
The explorer’s lower body, still clenched in its jaws, thrashed desperately.
Choi Kang-mok approached.
“Are you alright?”
Kang Hye pulled the explorer free.
It wasn’t the explorer’s skull that had shattered.
It was the lizard’s teeth.
As if it had bitten into solid diamond, the creature’s fangs were grotesquely fractured and broken.
“W-what is this?”
Explorer Lee Hyung-joo ran his hands over his head.
He’d been certain it would crumble, yet something had enveloped and protected him.
-This is a mage’s
shield. In other words, a protective spell.
-A creature like this lizard couldn’t even scratch it.
Instantaneous calculation. Instantaneous casting.
My increased processing speed proved invaluable in countless ways. This was the moment my growth as a combat mage truly shone.
Choi Kang-mok had cast a shield over Lee Hyung-joo.
“Th-thank you so much.”
“Thank you so much.”
Lee Hyung-joo bowed deeply.
‘This… this is an EX-Rank Awakener.’
On the surface, he looked like an ordinary person.
Yet his abilities transcended imagination.
He was known as an offensive-focused mage… but that wasn’t the whole picture.
‘His defensive magic is at this level too?’
Shield Scrolls were famous, certainly, but I never imagined he could wield them with such mastery.
His defensive prowess had simply been overshadowed by his offensive power.
He demonstrated defensive capabilities that surpassed any tank I knew.
I had worked alongside Korea’s representative tank, Lee Kang-nam.
The reflexes and defensive ability he just displayed exceeded even Lee Kang-nam’s.
‘He’s absolutely insane.’
Only now did I truly grasp the power of an EX-Rank Awakener.
As I lifted my head, lost in admiration, I swallowed hard once more.
‘They’re gone?’
All the swarms of insects that had been targeting this area had vanished.
Nothing remained around the insect swarms either. Not the surrounding vegetation, trees, or ground.
Moments ago, this was a jungle. Now it wasn’t.
The entire zone had been swept clean as if by an enormous palm.
The entire Explorer Crew fell silent.
Only now did the reality of being alongside an EX-Rank Awakener truly sink in.
Only Kang Hye, who had traveled long with Choi Kang-mok, tilted her head in confusion.
‘What? Why are they all so dumbfounded?’
This was nothing compared to when he destroyed the Dragon Palace…

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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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