The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 182

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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 182
Kang Hye spoke.
“First things first—the most important thing is finding the true body of the 70th Floor Boss who sent the invitation, right?”
“Yeah.”
“We don’t have any other clues yet?”
None.
Now that I was actually here, even I felt a bit overwhelmed.
This place was far vaster than Earth.
And there was no map.
Structural analysis had its limits.
At best, I could perceive across a continent, but this land sprawled far beyond that.
‘Wait, actually…’
This was rather fortunate.
Earth had always felt too cramped for practicing spatial magic.
If I’d been training at the continental scale, wouldn’t I now be able to practice at an even grander scale?
A mage must always challenge the impossible.
‘I can grow even more from this.’
This bewilderment would become the nourishment for my growth.
“Brother, let me set up a base camp for now.”
“Sure.”
Kang Hye was delighted for the first time in a while.
She’d always been the one receiving help, but now it seemed she could offer some in return.
Pride swelled within her as an EX-Rank Advisor.
‘Come on, explorer friends, let’s show what we can do!’
She pulled axes, ropes, and barracks from her inventory, then swiftly erected a campsite base.
With Mayo’s aura identification, shields, and cleaning functions added to it.
-It’s finally become somewhat comfortable.
-However, this Mayo is still thirsty. This Mayo desires a shower.
I entered one of the barracks and unfolded the notepad I hadn’t finished reading earlier.
Where had I left off?
[The entire universe is assisting that magical entity…]
Ah, here it is.
[Is it? All of our countermeasures are being neutralized.]
Reading the notepad usually irritated me, but today it was far more infuriating.
They were reducing a mage’s growth to mere ‘luck assisted by the entire universe.’
I’d even ventured to an unfamiliar alternate dimension for spatial magic training.
-Precisely.
-In truth, capturing the 70th Floor Boss hiding here was the original plan, but that’s merely supplementary. The true purpose is improving and training spatial magic skills. These ruffians scribble away without understanding that.
Mayo’s body flushed red.
Amid the rising displeasure, Mayo was deeply enraged.
-Authors should understand that the pen is far more dangerous than the sword.
Still, Choi Kang-mok flinched in surprise.
Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t come here for spatial magic—I’d come here to defeat the 70th Floor Boss.
Somewhere along the way, the roles had reversed.
‘Is this also contamination caused by Mayo?’
While Mayo bore the unjust accusation without complaint, Choi Kang-mok handed over the notepad.
───────
The most terrifying fact is that among ‘us,’ there are those who have begun to show curiosity and goodwill toward this magical entity. Vicious curiosity-seekers. They have begun to meddle in [creative works].
───────
An open fictional universe.
In a creative work involving countless authors, those who harbored goodwill toward Choi Kang-mok had appeared.
───────
We have expended vast quantities of ink to establish [Red Cat’s Premium Provisions Warehouse] in that dimension (Brain). The location of this place is.
───────
It cut off here.
Meow?
Red Cat’s ears perked up sharply.
Amber eyes blazed with fervent intensity.
‘Premium Provisions Warehouse?’
Red Cat loved treasures and precious metals, and among them, rubies most of all?
‘Huh?’
Choi Kang-mok checked his ‘pen.’
There was still a bit of ink left.
Enough to write a character or two.
‘Will it work?’
It seemed like it would.
Certainty flooded through me.
I couldn’t write much, but….
───────
The location of this place is
here
───────
In that instant, a scream erupted: “Ahhhhh!”
Countless voices shrieking in unison.
[!!!]
───────
※ This page is suspected of severe contamination.
※ Converting to [Unreadable].
───────
At that same moment, a page of the notepad tore clean in half.
It split into several branches before fragmenting and vanishing entirely.
Mayo chuckled softly.
-A magical anomaly’s interference with magical creations.
-From their perspective,
“It’s over there?”
That’s about all they’d register. Next time, I’d like to give them an even bigger magical surprise.
Choi Kang-mok shrugged.
Being treated as a boss monster still wasn’t ideal, but at least being treated as a magical boss monster was somewhat better.
Then a rippling space before my eyes began to take shape.
───────
[Red Cat’s Premium Provisions Warehouse]
───────
A Gate entrance.
‘This actually worked?’
The ink had been barely sufficient, yet somehow I’d managed to succeed.
The location was fixed here.
-After all, mages require patronage and investment.
I recalled the contents of the torn page.
───────
Malicious curiosity seekers. They’ve begun interfering with [creations].
───────
Choi Kang-mok nodded.
The ignorant masses called them “malicious curiosity seekers,” but that wasn’t accurate.
They were patrons investing in mages.
It appeared to be a space for Red Cat, which could essentially be considered a substitute for appraisal magic.
Kang Hye tensed.
“Oppa. A sudden Gate just appeared.”
“It’s a patronage Gate.”
“Huh?”
“A patronage Gate supporting a mage.”
After hearing the general explanation, Kang Hye nodded.
She no longer expressed surprise with “This actually works?” anymore.
‘This works too?’
If so, it would be a space quite favorable to Choi Kang-mok.
There wouldn’t be a need for elaborate preparations, would there?
‘Who knows.’
Synthesizing everything so far, the system always pursued balance.
‘If a setting appears that gives away rewards so openly, then there might be a setting that imposes penalties on the other side.’
Choi Kang-mok could afford to let his guard down.
But Kang Hye herself could not.
An explorer’s carelessness invites the annihilation of the entire party.
“Let me organize the explorers into an advance team first to scout ahead….”
But we couldn’t enter.
Before the shimmering space.
A ‘colossal lock’ materialized—visible to anyone.
[Entry is not permitted.]
It seemed we would need to unlock it.

* * *
Kang Hye took the lead in the unlocking process.
“Is there a lock-breaking specialist among you?”
Lee Hyung-joo slowly raised his hand.
“I am indeed a lock-breaking specialist.”
Until now, I had always declared confidently, “I’m a lock-breaking specialist!” but things were different now.
Of all times, before an EX-Rank Awakener.
Whatever I did, I’d seem like a firefly before the sun.
‘No. Don’t lose your nerve.’
Rather, this was an opportunity to make an impression before an EX-Rank Awakener.
I had witnessed the EX-Rank Awakener’s remarkable abilities, but lock-breaking was still my domain.
‘Let me demonstrate my expertise in my own field.’
I would give it my all.
It was only proper courtesy toward the one who had saved my life.
Lee Hyung-joo cautiously approached the lock.
‘First, a slow scan.’
I needed to determine whether the seal was a system-based setting, a physical structure, or a magical seal—a rough assessment came first.
The countermeasures would differ accordingly.
Then Choi Kang-mok stepped forward.
“Let me give it a try.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve learned some lock-breaking magic as well. I’ve been in similar situations before.”
I had directly undertaken lock-breaking work alongside Owen, an intermediate-level mage.
Unlocking the door of a safe made from ‘unbreakable stone’.
Recalling that moment, I felt my growth anew.
‘Back then, Mage Owen guided my magical fragments.’
The cooperative lock-breaking magic of the two mages had been successful.
Well, not quite.
Owen had simply been astonished at the time.
In any case, Lee Hyung-joo nodded readily.
“Yes. Lock-breaking magic is the easiest and most convenient method for unlocking.”
Without understanding the principles, one simply dissolves it through ‘magical ability’.
Simple seals can be easily dispelled with magic.
‘But complex unlocking is impossible.’
That massive lock looked undeniably intricate.
Everything has its own domain.
Magic cannot unlock it.
‘There’s no way.’
Yet there is no law that can stop an EX-Rank Awakened One.
Actually, this works out well.
If I succeed where magic failed?
‘This is truly the path to repaying the favor!’
The mere thought of it was magnificent.
Meanwhile, Choi Kang-mok had formed a sphere—a small bead-like orb.
The Energy Bolt, which I could now execute with near-perfect precision….
‘It’s not perfect.’
Compressing it this small is possible.
Piercing through is possible.
Simple shape transformation is possible.
‘But….’
Intricate shape transformation is not.
Refining the mana pressure to form a sharp spear shape is possible.
Or spreading it wide to create a net-like form is also possible.
But I cannot create something as intricate as a key shape.
‘My belief that I could control it perfectly was my own arrogance and hubris.’
Magic truly has no end.
There is so much to do with just basic magic.
‘First, let me try a simple unlock.’
I hurled the Energy Bolt toward the lock.
Floating gently—just before the Energy Bolt touched the lock.
Red Cat swung its front paw.
Meow!
A magic circle composed of an incomprehensible language was inscribed above the sealed lock.
As crimson lines bloomed, drawing circles and bizarre patterns, a strange radiance emanated from the lock.
‘Huh?’
Choi Kang-mok sensed it instinctively.
Red Cat’s ‘magic-like thing’ was actually nothing but a dazzling visual display with no real effect.
But when combined with the ‘unpretentious, small, and humble Energy Bolt,’ the synergy was explosive.
As the Energy Bolt grazed the center of the crimson magic circle, a flash erupted like sparks meeting a powder magazine.
Beams of light extended in all directions, splitting the lock’s surface into dozens of fissures.
Crimson lines flowed through the gaps, blazing upward in flame-like patterns.
Within the flames, countless intricately carved gears inscribed in many languages meshed together with a click—and began to turn.
‘This is…!’
Choi Kang-mok swallowed hard.
‘It has no effect at all!’
Red Cat’s ‘interference’ was merely for show.
In substance, it had no effect whatsoever.
-Click!
A heavy sound rang out, like a lock being opened.
And then it was destroyed.
To be precise, it shattered into pieces.
The sound was unmistakably that of opening.
Lee Hyung-joo found himself clapping without thinking, his mind reeling.
Clap, clap, clap.
The explorers watching erupted into applause all at once.
They had witnessed something miraculous.
It felt like witnessing the very essence of unlocking magic itself.
Just as people are overwhelmed before an unreal spectacle, they were now overwhelmed before this unreal ‘unlocking’.
And this unforeseen result led to something unexpected.

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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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