The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 276

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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 276
A peculiar nameplate materialized above Choi Kang-mok’s head.
[ M A G E ]
A mark visible only to Awakeners’ eyes.
In truth, considering that the vast majority of humanity had successfully Awakened since the emergence of Awakening Orbs, this meant the mark was distinctly visible to nearly everyone.
Kang Hye deliberately made a fuss about it.
“Brother, now it finally feels like you’re truly recognized.”
“…I suppose so.”
Choi Kang-mok felt slightly embarrassed.
Before receiving it, he’d thought it was nothing special.
The ‘real’ ones didn’t need to flaunt themselves, he’d reasoned.
But now that he’d actually been granted such an effect, his perspective had shifted.
“Honestly, I’m really proud of you, brother.”
“It’s not quite that significant.”
“What do you mean it’s not that significant? You’re the only one on Earth with this!”
Kang Hye thrust her thumb upward with a snap.
And she spoke with genuine sincerity.
“Look at Christine or Bessius.”
They had been the greatest mages before Choi Kang-mok’s emergence.
Even now, excluding EX-rank Awakeners, they were called Earth’s strongest mages.
“They don’t have anything like this.”
They were the representative mages of Europe.
Even Salia, the genius mage born from Africa, possessed no such mark.
“No genius mage in existence has ever received such a mark.”
A mage itself, acknowledged even by the System.
Kang Hye was overjoyed, and Choi Kang-mok smiled subtly as well.
And Red Cat was amazed—no, astounded.
‘So this is how you give praise…!’
Sincere praise could not be overcome by any technique whatsoever.
Red Cat had learned much from Kang Hye.
Raymond, who had come to find Choi Kang-mok, also showed a hint of envy.
“I never expected you to receive the Mage’s Mark. You live up to your reputation as my proud student!”
“Thank you, Professor.”
Choi Kang-mok was genuinely curious as well.
“Are there people in the Higher Dimension who have received marks like this?”
“There are, yes.”
Though not common, a small number exist.
“But the vast majority of them are Lords.”
“…Pardon?”
“A Lord is a device and setting designed to imprint the concept of ‘Lord’ itself. The masses tend to be captivated by what they can see, after all.”
“….”
Raymond started in surprise and quickly added to his words.
“Of course, I’m not saying my disciple is a lord. Just because such things happened in the Higher Dimension doesn’t mean the same principles necessarily apply to my disciple!”
His gaze lingered on the [Mage] title.
The emblem was beautifully decorated with the Earth Medal and Continental Medals that Choi Kang-mok had obtained, along with the form of the ‘Mage Medal’ he had just acquired.
Raymond marveled.
“If you stare at it for more than three seconds, the medals float in the air.”
“Yes. It’s a special effect.”
“…I envy you.”
“I will strive to live up to this name.”
I must not lose sight of my original purpose.
Being recognized as a mage once doesn’t mean I’ll remain one forever.
If a mage ceases to act like a mage, then a mage they are not.
Every day, I will immerse myself deeper in magic and burn with greater passion for it.
“Ah, right. That’s not why I came here.”
He worried whether his disciple might be overlooking something.
This time, he had to impart proper guidance.
As a true master should.
“I heard that this time, my disciple rediscovered his original nature and attacked with full force.”
“That’s correct.”
Raymond was deeply moved.
His disciple had finally acknowledged his own true essence.
With just this, he had advanced several stages.
It must be because I taught him well.
‘I really am a genius at teaching, aren’t I.’
Raymond continued speaking.
“Surely, without a doubt, without exaggeration, it was an attack with your full strength, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Exactly. That is what matters.”
Choi Kang-mok honestly didn’t expect much guidance from Raymond.
Raymond’s magical skill was genuine, but his teaching ability was lacking.
It was always absurd how he claimed to be a genius at teaching while offering nothing of substance.
Regardless, Raymond continued with his instruction.
“If it had been my disciple from a few days ago.”
“Yes.”
Choi Kang-mok half-listened.
“An attack of this magnitude would have shattered the entire Tower.”
“!”
“But this time, you destroyed precisely only the 100th Floor.”
Raymond’s eyes narrowed.
It was undoubtedly an all-out attack.
Yet I destroyed exactly the 100th Floor alone.
“This was no longer a matter of calculation or control.”
“….”
Now that I thought about it, that was true.
For perhaps the first time, Choi Kang-mok received instruction from Raymond.
Raymond continued speaking with pride in his student’s growth.
“Your magic simply acted of its own accord. Even in an all-out attack, it distinguished between ally and enemy with absolute precision, destroying only what needed to be destroyed. This is no longer mere development—this is the realm of evolution.”
“….”
Raymond patted Choi Kang-mok on the shoulder.
“You did exceptionally well. A true mage.”
“…You’re too kind, Professor.”
Choi Kang-mok’s expression became slightly dazed.
I see.
I’ve become more of a true mage.
In an all-out attack, I didn’t destroy the entire Tower!
“I recall something a combat mage I once knew told me. At a certain point, magic attains a realm where it gains its own life and makes judgments of its own. I believe you’ve briefly reached that state, my student. Now, what matters most is.”
“Repeated mastery through practice.”
If I hadn’t known, ignorance would have sufficed. But now that I understand, everything changes.
I must continue practicing while focusing on that sensation from that moment.
A single epiphany is not yet truly ‘mine’ in the deepest sense.
Magic is also an endless succession of tedious repetition.
“Indeed.”
I should probably practice destroying specific floors ‘unintentionally’.
Where would be good?
The Reconstruction Floor, perhaps?
[Please… stop….]
[Save me….]
Choi Kang-mok suddenly asked as if remembering something.
“Professor, by any chance, is the combat mage you know….”
“You don’t need to know.”
Tsk. Raymond clicked his tongue.
Once a colleague professor I trusted.
“Unfortunately, he’s now degenerated into a charlatan.”
He’d become a mad mage coveting my student.
Pease. There was no need to let my student know that madman’s name.
‘But… didn’t that lunatic Pease nearly die before?’
He said they’d fought one-on-one.
He said that experience had forged who he was now.
What kind of monster could drive a beast like Pease to the brink of death?
He wouldn’t be an ordinary opponent.
‘Still, he’d be weaker than my disciples.’

* * *
Choi Kang-mok’s Tower ascents had become almost routine for the people of Earth.
Of course, they were still remarkable and astonishing feats, but….
-What? The EX-rank Awakener did another EX-rank thing?
What, like a day or two?
-Guess even flexing power is old hat now
For ordinary people, the Continental Competition was actually more captivating than Choi Kang-mok’s Tower ascents.
And lol, in the end the United States made it to the finals.
-The United States made it?
Hahahahaha
-If the US is crying, that’s worth an upvote
-The US is gonna be so stressed, they’ll think about this before bed~
The United States was one of the nations openly proclaiming itself “anti-EX.”
More precisely, it was a nation that strived not to lose to EX-rank Awakeners.
-Didn’t the US also lead the criticism of Tower destruction?
Tyler is a prime example of an anti-EX faction member lol
-And they happen to meet in the finals
People thought to themselves:
That the EX-rank Awakener must be grinding his teeth at the United States.
But Tyler thought differently.
‘An EX-rank Awakener is a one-man empire.’
The gentlest empire in history itself.
‘If you acknowledge him as a mage,’ he becomes far more benevolent.
He believed in that.
“We will not flee cowardly like Europe.”
The United States is the United States.
Different from Europe.
We will never concede to the EX-rank Awakener or Asia.
“America is a great nation.”
Those facing Asia were granted numerous privileges.
While Choi Kang-mok was occupied destroying the Tower in another dimension, the System gained breathing room, and consequently showered the United States with many benefits.
“We will restructure our delegation.”
They changed their continental representatives.
All of them mages.
“We will compete with the EX-rank Awakener through magic. We will prove firsthand that only the EX-rank Awakener is not a mage.”
Tyler made his decision.
‘We cannot resort to combat.’
With ‘magical exchange’, the situation changes entirely.
“I will demonstrate that countless mages exist in this world, breathing and living beyond him. We, the United States, will show this.”
On the surface, it appeared as though he was taking a sharp confrontational stance against an EX-rank Awakener.
Many people mocked or pitied him, but he remained confident.
With magical ‘exchange’, at minimum, he would have ground to stand on.
“The Continental Competition will consist of five decisive battles in total.”
The contents of five final rounds.
The United States had determined this as well.
“First. We will compete in offensive magic.”
Continental representatives could participate in the five competitions with overlapping entries allowed.
-Overlapping entries are allowed?
-What if the EX left appears all 5 times? lol
-Is Tyler insane?
Yet Tyler displayed his confidence.
“Our magic will not lose.”
Kang Hye, who had reviewed the official interview content, grew slightly irritated.
“Why are you provoking my brother like this when he’s just sitting quietly? It’s infuriating.”
“Why?”
Choi Kang-mok wasn’t particularly angry.
Every word was accurate.
Magic is diverse. No one is supreme.
In magical exchange, there is no hierarchy.
In fact, rather than simply surrendering like Europe, this kind of ‘exchange’ is far more enjoyable.
While victory and defeat will be determined by the System, it’s only natural for mages to exchange magic with one another.
I also appreciate the sentiment that magic does not lose.
He seems like quite a moral person.
Kang Hye’s body trembled slightly.
Ah, right. He’s my brother, but he’s a madman after all.
“True. I was thinking the same thing.”
“See? I knew it.”
“…Yeah.”
In any case, the first round’s theme was ‘offensive magic’.
Victory would be determined by who destroyed the fortress wall made of the Unbreakable Rock first.
For Tyler, this was a losing proposition.
‘I’ll concede four of them.’
1. Offense.
2. Defense.
3. Movement.
4. Dispel/Haeju
From round one through round four.
The board was meticulously designed to favor EX-rank Awakeners.
This way, the theoretical degrees of freedom increase.
Since I’ve given something, there’s more to take.
‘Four rounds at one point each, totaling four points.’
I concede four points.
And the final fifth round.
That’s worth three points.
‘I only need to secure three points.’
The result would be a 4:3 defeat.
What Tyler was aiming for was precisely a “respectable loss.”
This much was sufficient.
‘Wait?’
But on the day of the Continental Competition.
Something shocking happened.

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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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