The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 221

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

The Return of an EX-Rank Mage Episode 221
Choi Kang-mok grinned widely, yet felt a pang of frustration.
“Can you believe it? Our Research Institute’s representative professor has been kidnapped.”
Kang Hye simply watched her brother with a knowing gaze.
I don’t really understand. Just… do whatever you want to do, oppa.
I always feel this way, but what is it?
Why does he speak like that, with the pronunciation of someone reading from a textbook?
I don’t quite understand it, but I’ve decided to try anyway.
‘Hmm. Why is he happy that the professor was kidnapped?’
That was easy to deduce.
‘Ah, he wants to practice rescue magic?’
Whatever the rescue method turns out to be, it probably won’t matter.
This madman—no, mage—casts a single ‘Destruction Sphere’ that obliterates everything around him, then declares ‘This is defensive magic!’ with a straight face.
And that’s not even limited to defensive magic.
Curses work on a similar principle.
He converts a curse into something ‘breakable,’ shatters it, then announces ‘This is curse-breaking magic!’
And the system actually recognizes it.
This time, he’ll probably perform a rescue accompanied by destruction, then declare ‘This is rescue magic!’
In the past, he at least showed some semblance of conscience.
He would occasionally pause and reflect, questioning whether this was truly magic.
‘But ever since Red Cat joined, he doesn’t even reflect anymore.’
Perhaps it’s because sycophants swarm around him now.
In a good light, his convictions have grown stronger; in a bad light, he’s become shameless.
‘What does it matter? As long as he can practice rescue magic, that’s all that counts.’
Kang Hye shrugged and asked.
“Oppa. The professor got kidnapped on purpose, didn’t he?”
“H-o-w c-o-u-l-d t-h-a-t b-e? Who willingly gets kidnapped?”
Kang Hye was certain of it.
Professor Raymond had deliberately allowed himself to be kidnapped.
To develop his disciple’s ‘rescue magic abilities.’
“…Right. Yeah, that makes sense. You should rescue the professor using rescue magic.”
“Exactly.”
Normally, one would send a delegation or attempt to resolve it through political and diplomatic channels.
But this mage went straight to planning rescue magic.
“What kind of rescue magic will you use? You need to protect the kidnapped hostage carefully so they don’t get hurt during the rescue.”
“That’s probably the master’s assignment—to make me think it through.”
As Choi Kang-mok smiled contentedly, pondering magical advancement and the challenge before him.
An incident erupted.
[Higher Dimension ■■■, Magic Empire ■■ Special Magic Task Force Dispatched]
[Special Magic Task Force, Cooperative Operation with ■■ Royal Magic University Faculty!]
Names appeared that were impossible to even access at Earth’s level.
Intervention from higher dimensions. The Magic Empire and Magic University immediately executed a rescue operation.
Earth couldn’t confirm anything itself, and only indirect and fragmented information came through Arsia at best.
And the person most knowledgeable about Arsia’s information was Lin Zhiwei from China.
Upon receiving this information, Lin Zhiwei immediately dressed up and visited Korea.
“Professor Demonire has been rescued!”
“…What?”
Lin Zhiwei was already wearing a joyful expression.
A professor who was core personnel of the Research Institute had been rescued—of course she should be happy, right?
As the prospective empress, it was important to understand the emperor’s heart well….
“It’s truly unfortunate and distressing.”
Lin Zhiwei, the lord of China, conducted herself with true lordly bearing.
With quick judgment and insight that read the situation, she comforted the emperor of this new age.
“Sigh, how could such a thing happen? They say higher dimensions care so much about human rights and whatnot… Despicable creatures.”
Why was that?
Why wasn’t the emperor in good spirits?
Lin Zhiwei, not fully understanding the situation, had to deduce and discover the reason herself.
‘I’m not entirely sure, but….’
Still, there was one universal key that worked when dealing with this emperor.
“They’re attempting to interfere with magic.”
“…Hmph.”
Choi Kang-mok nodded.
Starting from spam mail, I really disliked this.
Is that all it takes to be from a higher dimension? To be a skilled mage?
“It seems Professor Raymond doesn’t approve of what I’m learning from him. Professor Raymond said those professors are con artists and petty people with narrow minds. This is….”
No matter how I think about it, it’s absurd.
Why are they interfering so much in a master-disciple relationship?
“It seems like jealousy.”
“I completely agree. Human envy and jealousy know no bounds. Despicable mages indeed. Honestly, I’ve even thought….”
“What thought?”
“You are Earth’s greatest mage, but.”
Lin Zhiwei understood.
This mage believed he was still very lacking.
He believed himself to be a promising talent who still had much to learn.
“You’re also a mage with much left to learn, aren’t you? Magic is an endless discipline after all.”
“That’s true.”
“Beyond mere jealousy, could they be trying to obstruct your growth?”
“!”
“Vigilance against promising talent. The established powers’ check against new forces. Regardless of race, nation, or continent—it’s always existed in the human world. Those professors might want to prevent your growth. You are….”
Lin Zhiwei’s face flushed slightly.
At this point, I’m wondering if I’m really approaching this politically.
‘In truth, it’s not a political strategic calculation… Could it be that I’ve simply been captivated by this man’s magical prowess, his charisma as a sovereign, and his ambitions that transcend the bounds of Earth?’
There’s no need for complicated words.
‘I think I’ve actually fallen for this man.’
Red Cat’s amber eyes narrowed.
That woman is no easy prey.
It seems she’s eyeing the position of the universe’s one and only dimensional companion cat.

* * *
Keipahall, classified among the highest-tier dimensions.
It was a dimension where diverse disciplines flourished brilliantly.
Amid an abundance of top-tier educational institutions, Vulcan Royal Magic University stood as one of the most renowned.
A cradle of magic where only geniuses counted among the universe’s finest gained admission.
The universe’s premier magical education institution, possessing the Magic Archive itself.
The professors there were universe-class authorities in their respective fields.
The professors mobilized.
“Professor Raymond is a pacifist. How could they possibly….”
“Dare to kidnap our professor?”
“This has crossed the line.”
The graduate students tilted their heads in confusion.
“Why are the professors cooperating?”
“Did some research funding event worth hundreds of times get triggered?”
“Who knows, they all seem to have lost their minds.”
“Probably.”
The professors going mad was nothing new, so they decided not to worry about it.
In any case, the graduate students’ rational suspicion was justified.
In truth, the professors had little genuine interest in Raymond.
What mattered was that he was an important connection to an ‘EX-Rank Awakener.’
‘The EX-Rank Awakener has a deep personal connection with Professor Raymond.’
‘If I save Professor Raymond, they’ll feel grateful toward me!’
‘Excellent. I must be the most active one and build a relationship.’
The professors cooperated for nearly the first time since Vulcan Royal Magic University’s founding.
Keipahall’s Special Magic Task Force was with them as well.
[Keipahall protects the citizens of Keipahall]
They moved as befitted the highest-tier dimension.
While they refrained from violent invasions due to human rights concerns, an exception was made when citizens were attacked first.
The justification was perfect.
They immediately dispatched the Special Magic Task Force, including magical professors, to eliminate the ruffians who had illegally kidnapped Professor Raymond and rescued him.
[Successful operation execution, Professor Raymond’s dramatic return to safety!]
Professor Raymond’s expression was not bright.
Articles poured in suggesting it was due to harsh imprisonment.
Of course, it wasn’t.
‘I missed my disciple’s rescue magic!’
I was thrilled wondering what kind of innovative rescue magic he would devise next.
Those damned rescue team bastards.
Still, with the media so intensely focused, I couldn’t speak openly about it.
The Professors also behave themselves in front of cameras and display considerable social grace.
Misstep and your research funding gets slashed.
But soon my mood improved.
I realized something new.
‘Idiots.’
The Professors were competing to claim, “I played a pivotal role in rescuing Professor Raymond!”
Not realizing how badly that would look to my disciple.
Raymond sent an email with a somewhat brighter expression.
[It seems the Professors don’t approve of my disciple’s magical training. They’re launching quite the sabotage campaign.]
After conducting interviews with several media outlets and maintaining a reasonable, professional demeanor, Raymond returned directly to the Research Institute.
Then he revealed his true colors and laughed.
“Now you lot will never receive my disciple’s favor, mwahahaha!”
Sowing discord magic—success.
Everything was proceeding according to plan.

* * *
Nerop found itself in an impossible situation.
“Professor Demonire was a magic professor at Keipahall of all places?”
“His real name is Raymond, apparently.”
Keipahall.
And they’d touched a Royal Magic University professor.
They couldn’t dare oppose such an institution.
“It was the scheme of an EX-Rank Awakener. We were deceived.”
“To think they could mobilize Keipahall.”
“In hindsight, we captured the professor far too easily.”
Now they couldn’t act recklessly.
They’d been marked by Keipahall.
If it hadn’t been for humanitarian considerations, Nerop would have been annihilated.
It was fortunate that it ended with only a few mid-level managers being executed.
They got off cheap.
“But we’ve lost twelve Royal Castles.”
All because of one monster that cowardly mobilized a higher dimension.
The losses were catastrophic.
We cannot simply sit idle like this.
Keipahall is one thing, but Earth is a lower dimension.
There has never been a case in history where a higher dimension was so humiliated by a lower one.
“We must consider the possibility of a dimensional ranking decline.”
“It’s not just a possibility we should consider… we must regard it as inevitable.”
We were toyed with by an awakener from a lower dimension.
At this rate, the system-determined ‘dimensional ranking’ will undoubtedly plummet catastrophically.
Dimensional ranking, much like Tower rank, affects dimensional quality.
“If we cannot eliminate the source…”
“We will be eliminated.”
The kingdom’s very symbols have been utterly destroyed.
Internal resistance and unrest among the populace are far from trivial.
We needed a breakthrough strategy.
“But Demonire—that bastard is harboring an EX-Rank awakener, isn’t he?”
“That’s precisely the problem.”
More accurately, Keipahall is involved.
What could we possibly do when they’re already watching the situation closely?
It was a grave crisis for the entire Nerop Dimension.
Then, Professor Raymond stepped forward as a mediator.
“I understand this is a difficult situation. How about I serve as mediator and arrange a formal magical exchange with my disciple—or rather, with the EX-Rank awakener?”

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