The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 224

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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 224
Borders opened, and international exchange flourished once more.
Particularly, as the concept of Gigapolis centered on South Korea expanded, Earth began to interweave like a single organism.
Yet forces emerged that resisted this tide of the era.
The most prominent nation was the United States.
A colossal power that had wielded global dominance even before the Tower civilization age.
-Make America Great Again!
The lords who had been favorable—perhaps even somewhat obsequious—toward Korea and Choi Kang-mok faced public abandonment.
A new breed of lords gained strength, those who dreamed of a great America once more, determined to liberate the nation from Korean influence and restore its former glory.
Now the Grand Lord of the United States was Tyler, the former Lord of Texas and a prominent anti-Korea advocate.
At a rally, he spoke.
“Do not forget—we are America.”
The audience leaned in.
“The world’s center has always been America.”
Player quality: Europe leads.
Player quantity and manufacturing capacity: Asia leads.
Artifacts and resources: the Middle East leads.
“Yet all these firsts are firsts without America.”
A term had become the hottest phrase with the recent emergence of one individual.
‘Beyond-Rank Grade’.
“America was beyond-rank, is beyond-rank, remains beyond-rank, and will forever be beyond-rank.”
Thunderous cheers and applause erupted.
“We are the United States. We shall break free from the influence of those who presume to be emperors of this new age, and take bold strides toward greatness once more. The world will witness the giant’s leap anew.”
A protruding stone always gets hammered down.
Voices and arguments calling for vigilance against South Korea and EX-Rank Awakeners gained traction across the globe.
Among one nation.
More precisely, arguments emerged everywhere—logical and sensible ones—cautioning against excessive power and authority being granted to a single individual.
Tyler was their figurehead, though in truth he was a relatively reasonable man.
‘Can I really do this?’
He enjoyed considerable popularity and support from the masses, yet….
He knew well that antagonizing an EX-Rank Awakener would bring nothing but ruin.
Not even his formidable power and authority could change that.
‘In the end, I’m merely voicing what the public wants to hear.’
Without this strategy, he would never have surpassed the Lord of New York.
‘My strategy was brilliant.’
As a result, he had seized the position of Grand Lord of the United States.
Outwardly, he proclaimed anti-Korea sentiment and warned of the need to monitor EX-Rank Awakeners, but he avoided substantive action whenever possible.
‘There’s nothing to gain from drawing their ire.’
Still, he needed to show something.
What exactly to do required very careful deliberation.
One wrong move, and England’s fate could befall us.
‘No, well… at least the English are voluntary slaves, aren’t they?’
In the worst case, it’s off to Italy.
If England is slavery by choice, then Italy is slavery by force, isn’t it?
Of course, it was peculiar that even those forced into servitude seemed to enjoy it quite well.
‘A comfortable slave is still a slave, after all.’
In any case, he did not dare raise his hand against Korea or EX-Rank Awakeners.
However, he showed no mercy to other nations.
China suffered the most grievously.
Lin Zhiwei, the Grand Lord of China, was furious.
“What? Imposing tariffs?”
The United States was the world’s largest market.
Globalization had begun anew.
Trade with the United States brought China enormous profits.
“Export restrictions?”
Human rights this, something that. It was infuriating.
From Lin Zhiwei’s perspective, it was utterly exasperating.
Various political and diplomatic terms sprouted up like mushrooms, but Lin Zhiwei summarized it simply.
“They think we’re easy prey, don’t they?”
They can’t touch Korea.
It seems their intention is to crush the neighboring nation—China.
Like targeting the weaker younger sibling instead of the formidable older brother.
“How infuriating.”
The so-called trade war ignited once more.
Globalization proceeding far too rapidly.
It was one of the side effects born from the new world order centered on Korea.

* * *
[One Against Many: A Dimensional War?]
└War? It’s a mock battle lol
└Practically counts as war though
└They call trade wars “wars” too, so this definitely qualifies
└You can die in mock battles
In mock battles, people usually don’t die.
That’s precisely why it’s called a “mock” battle.
But if we’re talking about EX-Rank Awakeners, the rules change.
This was publicly stated by Kang Pal-do.
“Well, yeah, you could die if you get hit.”
The mock battle settings don’t protect against everything perfectly.
If overwhelmingly powerful transcendent damage pours in, even the resurrection protocol shatters.
“But hey, just don’t get hit, right?”
Kang Pal-do chuckled to himself.
Through extreme training of the Mine—his body—he had become a man brimming with premium-grade fortune.
This had cultivated a certain recklessness in him.
“Yes, I’ll handle the exclusive broadcast.”
Just thinking about it sent shivers down my spine.
A streamer holding exclusive broadcast rights to Earth’s first-ever dimensional mock battle.
Unique to Earth.
‘Do they give streamers Earth Medals or something?’
That would be incredible.
I want one too.
Kang Pal-do set the broadcast title.
‘I don’t really need sensationalism here.’
No need to string together cheap, provocative words.
[Magical Anomaly vs Neroph]
This was enough.
The entire world’s attention poured in.
[We hope visitors from other dimensions will enter the channel.]
Kang Pal-do’s pride swelled.
“Nope, not happening.”
[Entry from visitors of other dimensions has been denied.]
Those interdimensional bastards.
Did they really think they could analyze our mine master’s combat style?
No way, not showing them—wait, that’s not quite right.
He drafted an announcement.
[My level and capabilities are still far too insufficient. Accepting too many viewers from other dimensions would degrade broadcast quality. Therefore, unfortunately….]
He concluded with propriety, concealing his true intentions.
[My apologies, and thank you once again.]
In any case, he had been designated as the sole streamer capable of entering the Interdimensional Tournament.

* * *
Kim Chul-in, an executive of the Boddari Union, felt like crying a little.
‘Was our intelligence network really this pathetic?’
Our influence on Earth was already absolute.
Recently, our influence in the United States has diminished, but the Boddari Union still boasts the world’s finest intelligence network.
However, that was only limited to Earth.
“Once we expand our scope to the cosmos… our capabilities are nothing but dust.”
We’ve been establishing various strongholds in the Brain Dimension, which has already been conquered, and expanding our influence, but it’s still far from sufficient.
Even Arcsia, being a higher dimension than Earth, makes it difficult to establish a foothold.
As for Neroph, which is an even higher dimension than that, there’s no need to elaborate.
“I am truly sorry.”
The twelve dimensional representatives of Neroph.
Previously, when they were revealed as an envoy delegation, we managed to grasp their names and general appearances.
However, what their specialties were.
What style of combat magic they preferred.
We couldn’t ascertain any of it.
The information was far too limited.
“It’s fine.”
Choi Kang-mok shrugged his shoulders.
He was a pragmatic mage.
He understood well how difficult it was to gain access to higher dimensions.
“Combat magic is inherently magic that unfolds without knowing what your opponent will do anyway.”
“I am deeply sorry. I will surely help the Mage Guild Master by growing the Boddari Union further.”
Originally, he was just called the Guild Master, but he had subtly slipped in the term “Mage Guild Master.”
Choi Kang-mok didn’t even notice it.
Though he didn’t consciously register it, he didn’t feel displeased.
“Pal-do, let’s go.”
“All right.”
The venue for this official magical exchange was Shenyang.
Where Raymond, the mediator, had established himself.
It was there that Earth’s first Interdimensional Tournament would take place.
For the first time, Choi Kang-mok’s heart, that of a combat specialist mage, raced with anticipation.
‘I’m… actually excited?’
The pens of the open-world Authors grew busy.
───────
One must be cautious. The entity that had been trying to avoid and exclude combat magic now appears to have resolved to openly employ it.
───────
Raymond, the mediator, shared similar thoughts.
“Heh heh. My
disciple
tends to be overly cautious about combat magic in general.”
“What did you just do?”
Intermediate-rank mage Owen found himself bewildered.
The word ‘disciple’ carried a subtle magical force within it.
“Did you use Oratory Magic?”
Magic that captivates the audience’s hearts and draws their attention.
If one had to classify it, it was a form of weak mental enchantment magic.
Mental enchantment magic was extraordinarily difficult, and applying it weakly was even harder.
He used it on a single word—’disciple’?
“But this time, things are different.”
Wait, he’s not listening to me at all?
As always, he only speaks what he wants to say.
This man doesn’t understand what conversation is.
Owen closed his mouth.
“A combat mage who has released the restrictions placed upon himself. I look forward to seeing my
disciple
run wild without limits. Oh, Owen the mage, I’ll need your assistance.”
“Pardon?”
“After all, I am still the mediator, am I not?”
“Yes. But you only converse when you need something?”
“That’s precisely why we cannot allow casualties.”
He’s not listening to me again!
“But I alone will find it difficult. The restrictions have been completely released. Bring every personnel from the Advanced Research Institute. We must at least prevent death. Sigh, even my
disciple
being too powerful is a problem, huff, huff, huff!”
Shortly thereafter, Choi Kang-mok arrived.
The twelve Neroph ‘Magic Exchange Delegation’ also arrived.
The delegation’s representative was named Engaro.
He boasted a physique and musculature that seemed unbelievable for a mage.
He was even larger than Lee Kang-nam.
He felt confident within himself.
‘Close-range combat is a different dimension from ranged combat.’
Excelling in ranged combat did not mean one was skilled in close-quarters fighting.
They were entirely different disciplines.
‘There are occasionally youngsters like that.’
Among those who had succeeded in one field, some mistakenly believed they would excel in another.
Engaro knew well that this was not the case.
‘Coming out alone?’
That’s not confidence—it’s arrogance.
That’s not courage—it’s recklessness.
And he’s even grinning like an idiot.
‘He’s dropping his guard completely. He’s deluded into thinking he’s a master who’s mastered every discipline.’
No!
I’m simply delighted to have found a sturdy, resilient punching bag.
The restriction on combat magic has been lifted, and I’m just excited without realizing it!
‘His potential is tremendous, but he’s still not fully ripened. In this state, I have a chance.’
The 1-versus-12 dimensional inter-domain battle had begun.
[Entering the Mock Battle Field.]
An ordinary Stage Field.
There were no special effects to speak of.
I thought Demonire would pull some tricks, but he didn’t.
‘Surprisingly fair-minded. Perhaps he values equality when it comes to magic.’
Of course not.
Raymond simply wanted to witness his student’s combat ability without reservation, now that the limiter was off.
“If you’re a combat mage.”
He had come as Neroph’s representative.
He had to display Neroph’s full potential.
He immediately closed in using ‘body technique’.
“One must master hand-to-hand combat as well.”
Sometimes a single, sharp punch delivered with precision could prove far more devastating than an elaborate barrage of complex spells.
He had decided to impart a lesson to this still-fledgling EX-rank awakener.
His fist reached Choi Kang-mok.

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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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