The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 196

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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 196
I reviewed the highest-tier scenarios and advanced-tier scenarios.
Seeing the completed content left me speechless.
“So that’s why they deployed the Spirit Entity.”
The Writers’ schemes were growing increasingly audacious.
“They were trying to force me into at least the 3rd Section. Or possibly the 4th.”
-Even after reviewing it again, this is utterly absurd.
-I cannot fathom why a pure mage is being treated as a dangerous entity.
-We are merely mages devoted to the pursuit of magic.
Mayo was genuinely furious.
-If the Spirit Entity hadn’t been intimidated by our confinement spell from the start, disaster would have struck.
The 3rd Section operates on an entirely different scale.
Even King Sparock on the 7th Floor was formidable.
But the 70th Floor’s 3rd Section?
At my current level, it would be catastrophic.
Meow!
Red Cat tilted her head curiously.
-Indeed, I wonder if it would truly be catastrophic.
The dimensional monster Red Cat pondered.
It was true that 3rd Section monsters were dangerous.
But wasn’t the master even more dangerous?
A 3rd Section monster would probably fall in a single strike.
Yet she concealed her true thoughts and spoke differently.
-Catastrophe bestowed upon a mage becomes the stepping stone for growth.
Mayo quickly interjected.
-What a sycophant.
Meow.
Red Cat didn’t engage with Mayo.
There was no point in fighting the master’s cherished artifact and damaging her image.
“But what does it mean by claiming recourse rights?”
Recourse rights.
When a person compensates for damages or settles a debt caused by another’s actions or obligations, they possess the right to demand reimbursement of those damages or costs from the ‘party actually responsible’.
“Does the Tower intend to demand compensation from the Writers?”
[Amplified compensation will be granted following swift recourse claim.]
I waited with eager anticipation.
A red heart floated above Mayo’s form.
-Magically amplified magical rewards are certain to be granted. My heart races with excitement.
-Of course, I possess no heart to speak of.
Then, words continued to appear in the notepad.
───────
Absurdity had begun to unfold. An invoice had arrived. We had merely employed unconventional measures to confront a terrifying magical boss monster. Without us, how could anyone possibly have stopped that creature?
───────
Choi Kang-mok was utterly dumbfounded.
“Look at these things?”
They used to call it a ‘magical anomalous entity’, but now they’re openly calling it a ‘boss monster’.
“This is ridiculous.”
Why do they keep treating me like a boss monster hunter?
I’m simply a pure mage devoted to mastering magic.
I can’t comprehend this at all.
“You did see the same thing I did, right?”
How much magical advancement did I achieve while battling the 70th Floor boss, the Spirit Entity?
My growth was so tremendous it’s beyond words.
Without question, it was an extraordinarily mage-like accomplishment.
“Can those people even watch the Mine broadcast?”
If they’d seen the broadcast, they couldn’t possibly treat me this way.
Apparently, they don’t have access to Kang Pal-do’s broadcast.
“I wish they’d stop misunderstanding me.”
Emperor of the new era, they say.
Passionate propagator of K-culture, they say.
Why do these misunderstandings keep accumulating?
───────
Yet we cannot give up. Containing and protecting magical boss monsters has become our mission.
───────
“Well, well?”
I wanted to warn them: ‘Do you really want to die?’ and mention that ink supplies would run low, but I held back.
Ink is precious.
As we saw in this Ruby-grade mana stone mine, ink must be conserved.
───────
We do not surrender to such trials. Many sponsors and readers have begun to support our tragic story. We will overcome this claim for damages without incident.
───────
It seems there exists a world known only to the Writers.
We’ve gained sponsors?
—How delightful.
Red Cat, perched upon Choi Kang-mok’s shoulder, licked her front paw.
A gesture that emerged when contentment arose.
—It means those lowly wretches will accumulate greater wealth.
They’ll have more money?
Then we can steal far more!
—Master too shall become wealthy!
───────
When facing an out-of-specification boss monster, one must devise out-of-specification methods.
I’ll actively leverage the system.
───────
I understand what you’re saying.
You’re talking about forcing entry into the 3rd Section and even inducing entry into the 4th Section.
By any means necessary.
Forcibly raising the difficulty while accepting the resulting damage.
“If their damage increases….”
Conversely.
“My gains increase, right?”
According to Red Cat’s words, it doesn’t sound bad.
Right on cue, a reward notification followed.
[The claim procedure has been completed.]
[An amplified reward is granted.]
Finally, the Tower’s reward for clearing the 70th Floor at EX++ rank was given.

* * *
The level of the reward was a new world.
[‘Artifact Grade Enhancement Voucher’ is granted.]
───────
[Artifact Grade Enhancement Voucher]
Enhances an artifact’s grade with 100% certainty.
───────
What was astonishing was that there was no grade restriction.
It could even be applied to Mythic grade.
“There’s something beyond Mythic grade?”
Mayo swallowed hard.
Of course, there was no throat or saliva.
It was a ‘gulp’ sound implemented through magic.
-This treasure must be used on me, Mayo.
-I, Mayo, am currently experiencing a growth ceiling.
-If my ceiling is broken through, it could induce very significant magical advancement for us.
The artifacts Choi Kang-mok primarily uses fall into three major categories.
Weapon/Armor/Auxiliary tool.
For weapons, there are Excalion, which is Mythic grade, and the Science Staff.
For armor, there’s the Spinkias Robe with the Blink option and the Thunderhorse Combat Boots.
For auxiliary tools, there’s the Magic Fortress, an all-purpose artifact, and Emily Custom, a calculation tool.
Mayo continued urgently.
-You could enjoy magical efficiency incomparable to something like Excalion.
Apparently, Excalion was the most concerning one.
Zero mana consumption when facing boss monsters.
If Mayo excels in versatility, Excalion is an artifact specialized in a single domain.
-The Science Staff is a fraud.
The Science Staff seemed to warrant slight caution as well.
-Emily’s custom creation is of Creation-grade, so rank enhancement is ambiguous. Emily herself will certainly be able to strengthen it further. Just as mages advance magically, craftsmen advance through their craftsmanship.
His speech was roughly twice as fast as usual.
That was because Choi Kang-mok had mastered an extraordinary level of defensive magic.
For Mayo, who excels in many areas but specializes most in defense, this was a red flag.
Right now I can only utilize five to seven defensive spells, but what if I could layer dozens of them?
Or if I perfected the black hole and learned to control it completely?
Any magic and attack whatsoever would be entirely
destroyed
and defended against.
“Don’t worry, Mayo.”
I had considered investing in other artifacts too, but still, Mayo offered the highest efficiency.
What performance would Mayo, transcending even Mythic-grade, ultimately possess?
I still remembered the footage from when I first acquired Mayo.
A combat spell that dominated space and faced entire legions alone—no, a mage.
“I’m going to invest in you.”
-Truly an excellent choice.
Meow.
Red Cat let out a slightly sullen sound, unlike usual.
Until now, I had thought Mayo was a step below me, but now it seemed things might get slightly dangerous.
The position of my companion was mine.
‘A mere cube daring to—!’
It kept coveting the seat of favor.
But since my master seemed to have high expectations, I didn’t particularly interfere.
Mayo’s growth was unwelcome, but falling out of favor with my master was even worse.
Red Cat had seen it too.
That ‘defensive magic’ and ‘escape magic’.
It was magic that destroyed everything.
Since the target of destruction could very well be myself, a dimensional monster, I took care to protect myself.
“I should entrust the enhancement to an enhancement craftsman.”
It’s stated that the success rate is 100%, but I can’t completely trust it.
I’ve already experienced the schemes of the Writers… wait?
Meow!
Red Cat cried out loudly.
───────
[Artifact Rank Enhancement Voucher]
Upgrades the rank of an
100%
77% success rate for enhancement.
※If enhancement fails, the artifact will be destroyed.
───────
Choi Kang-mok’s eyes narrowed.
“Red Cat, you.”
Red Cat’s body flinched.
Had my deliberate delay in movement been discovered?
“Your discernment is quite remarkable.”
Meow.
It was fortunate.
This master wasn’t just destructively powerful—he was perceptive too.
I could get away with it once, but a second or third time would surely expose me.
‘Tsk.’
I could have eliminated the competition.

* * *
I hadn’t been given only an artifact rank enhancement voucher.
Similar rewards followed in succession.
[You receive a ‘Skill Rank Enhancement Voucher’.]
───────
[Skill Rank Enhancement Voucher]
Enhances a skill’s rank with 66% success rate.
If enhancement fails, the skill is destroyed.
───────
Additionally, I received 70 EX Points, 7 EX++ Points, and 7 billion Diamonds.
They said the rewards were amplified, and they weren’t wrong.
I examined the skill rank enhancement voucher first in detail.
‘The quality is slightly lower than the first reward… no, wait.’
66% is actually an astronomical success rate.
Single digits.
Or decimal points are the norm.
‘Have my standards become skewed?’
To think a 66% success rate would feel uncertain.
-Not at all. This is a radiant magical Achievement from clearing 70 consecutive floors at EX++ difficulty. The greater the Achievement, the greater the standards naturally become.
Meow!
In any case, I now had a skill enhancement voucher.
“This one has a clear purpose.”
There was no need to deliberate.
My other spells could grow through my own effort.
The first energy bolt and the current energy bolt are magic on entirely different levels.
“But I can’t grow Invincibility through my own efforts.”
A skill that would become another lifeline in critical moments.
‘Invincibility’ was the one thing I couldn’t improve through my own efforts as Choi Kang-mok.
Currently, Invincibility’s rank was ‘S’.
If I could raise it?
Once my survival was secured, I could use far more magic effectively.
It was an ability absolutely essential for a mage.
Soon after, Emily arrived at the An House.
“You wish for me to perform an enhancement, my lord?”
Emily had been deeply absorbed in historical dramas lately.
Having absorbed Mayo’s consciousness, Emily’s enhancement abilities had surged dramatically, though she’d become slightly corrupted.
“Though we have not yet exchanged vows, this humble maiden is delighted her abilities might be of service to you, my lord.”
“….”
“By utilizing EX Coins and Ruby-grade mana stones, we may elevate the success rate most favorably, my lord.”
She’d grown close with Kim Chul-in.
Her speech patterns grew increasingly peculiar, her pronunciation more fluent.
Wasn’t she English?
Emily’s gaze turned toward Mayo.
“Shall I enhance that wench first, my lord?”

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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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