The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 284

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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 284
The lords of the world struggled to comprehend this situation.
‘Before, it seemed like they were trying to check the EX-Rank Awakened….’
‘Whether they lost or won, they were trying to stand against the EX-Rank Awakened.’
At first glance, that appeared more aligned with justice.
In reality, for them as well, EX-Rank Awakened Choi Kang-mok was a ‘monster.’
A near-perfect monster with not a single flaw.
A transcendent existence too extraordinary to be called merely human.
Being lords comparable to(?) Choi Kang-mok, they could only perceive him this way.
However, Korea’s lord Lee Byung-gyu and China’s lord Lin Zhiwei were somewhat different.
“What difference does it make if we don’t understand?”
Your mind can’t grasp it?
Are there only one or two such things in this world?
It’s easier on the heart to simply accept what has already occurred.
Lin Zhiwei nodded in agreement.
“Exactly. Denying or criticizing an already-existing fact won’t change anything.”
Rather, Lin Zhiwei was pleased with this situation.
Even the Tower favors the EX-Rank Awakened?
‘As expected of my future husband.’
She couldn’t speak freely in front of others, but Lin Zhiwei was delighted.
Her future husband was this extraordinary.
History would record it thus.
The greatest emperor in history: Choi Kang-mok.
And empress: Lin Zhiwei.
Just imagining it sent shivers down her spine!
Lee Byung-gyu spoke.
“Everyone keeps talking about finding ways to check the EX-Rank Awakened.”
“Nonsense.”
When even the System AI had concluded that ‘favoring the EX-Rank Awakened benefits the entire Earth,’ who would make such claims?
The somewhat textbook argument that one person shouldn’t be given excessive power and strength had become meaningless in this world.
Even if it still held meaning, there was nothing to be done about it.
What if the EX-Rank Awakened’s power weakened immediately?
We couldn’t even stop invasions from other dimensions.
We’re already connected to dimensions far too powerful relative to our own level.
Lin Zhiwei strongly agreed.
“Only idiots ignorant of reality would say such things.”
However, Choi Kang-mok’s thoughts were slightly different.
“Even the System does this?”
The System’s tribute, which only had three ranks.
It felt good, yet it wasn’t entirely joyful either.
Kang Hye read Choi Kang-mok’s heart with perfect clarity.
“Brother. You’re not disappointed that you’ve lost a worthy rival, are you?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“Yes, it is. You’re disappointed right now.”
…Could it be that brother is feeling lonely?
People often said that those who reached absolute power eventually grew lonely. Did that apply to brother as well?
Choi Kang-mok shook his head.
“No, it’s more like….”
“More like?”
“I’m wondering if it’s right for me to grow like this alone.”
This was a reflection born from his path as a mage.
It was something he had come to realize after accepting Salia as his disciple this time.
Choi Kang-mok grew serious.
“Shouldn’t a true mage ultimately dedicate himself to nurturing the next generation?”
Raymond had.
Even that madman Pease had.
They had both tried to make him their disciple.
It seemed to be because that was the ‘rightful path’ a mage ought to walk.
Of course, that wasn’t quite it.
They had simply been captivated by his talent.
“If something were to go wrong with me, it could cause problems for the entire Earth.”
“Why would anything go wrong with you!”
“Speaking realistically.”
There may be order in arrival, but there is no order in departure.
“How do I know I won’t get hit by a car tomorrow?”
“…You would?”
Even if a truck hit him, the truck would probably be the one destroyed….
Because he possessed ‘a mage’s physiology.’
When a mage collides with a truck, you should ask the truck if it’s okay.
Choi Kang-mok felt a bit embarrassed. Even he knew his analogy didn’t work.
“No, I just mean it that way. Anyway, if something happens to me, it becomes too great a problem for the entire Earth.”
I really should focus on nurturing the next generation.
That’s the right answer.
So that Earth can function well even without me.
So that countless mages can grow.
“Besides, the EX-rank Shop has been updated for the first time in a while.”
“Really?”
Except for Early Growth and the Seal of Justice, the EX-rank Shop had become virtually useless.
Once the System began actively countering Choi Kang-mok, good items had essentially disappeared.
But now things were different.
“Yeah. And the +7777% Value just popped up too.”
“Ah, that’s kind of spammy….”
“It’s completely different from before.”
Just as Kang Hye said, the old 7777 had quite a bit in common with spam.
The Tower’s strategy was to provide me with something excellent, then dramatically raise the difficulty as compensation.
But this time?
“Since the Tower has been artificially disadvantaging me all this time, it seems like this is the opposite—giving me something good in return.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It was written in the EX-rank Shop announcement.”
“It’s being really favorable toward you.”
I opened the EX-rank Shop.
[!VVIP Exclusive Special Price Active!]
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[EX-rank Shop]
[95th Floor]
1. Stronghold Reinforcement Voucher – -20 Points (Limited to 1 purchase)
2. Stronghold Establishment Voucher – -30 Points (Limited to 3 purchases)
※ These items will disappear after 24 hours ※
───────
Kang Hye’s jaw dropped.
“Why are the points like this?”
There was a minus sign in front.
Negative.
“The Tower is giving me points in reverse.”
“Insane.”
Can the System even do this?
I thought that, but seeing the Hall of Fame situation on floors 91-95, it made sense.
This kind of personal privilege was less shocking than broadcasting to the entire world that I was a mere sycophant.
“So you can strengthen the Ayla Research Institute with this, right?”
“Yeah.”
It was somewhat interesting.
“When you strengthen the Research Institute, it becomes a Magical University.”
The transformation into a ‘Magical University’ was peculiar.
A Magical University being established on Earth?
Many excellent mages could be born.
That would be a great stimulus for Earth’s development, and for me as well.
“Let me just buy it first.”
[‘Stronghold Reinforcement Voucher’ has been successfully purchased.]
[‘Stronghold Establishment Voucher’ has been successfully purchased.]
Since I’d already bought them, I used them right away.
[‘Stronghold Reinforcement Voucher’ is being used.]
[Ayla Advanced Magic Institute ▶▶▶ Promotion to Magical University is commencing.]
In that instant,
my vision was engulfed in ash-gray light.
[A hidden ‘Story’ from Tower ~95th Floor has been cleared.]
[Story Gate, ‘Principal’s Office,’ is being generated.]
A Story Gate after so long.
[Automatically entering the Story Gate.]

* * *
Once a fire salamander.
Igniasha, now bearing a form nearly indistinguishable from a cat, marveled at the sight.
“This is a final chapter story!”
Igniasha was born from a Story Gate.
My first meeting with her was nothing short of shocking.
–
You who have awakened to narrative. You who have sunk into the depths of emotion. You who traverse the gaps of saga. You who smuggle in foreshadowing. You who collect settings. You whose lips awaken the ripples of forgotten lore. You mortal who rewinds the ending. Could it be that your intellect….
In her eyes back then, I was not human.
I was a monster who had opened a Story Gate with impossible intellect.
Yet now I had done something even more impossible.
“Earth’s story was only just at the [beginning] stage?”
Stories possess a beginning, development, climax, and conclusion.
To compare it to a book, we had only just opened the first page.
But now things were different.
Igniasha simply understood.
This ‘Story’ was one approaching its conclusion.
In other words, the ‘conclusion’ of the narrative structure.
Yet Igniasha quickly accepted it.
“Well, I learned this was the Korean style.”
Open the first page, then open the last page?
Skip everything in between?
If understood through the Korean style, it was entirely comprehensible.
I surveyed my surroundings.
‘Just an ordinary principal’s office.’
A sofa. A table. And a desk for administrative work.
Upon the desk sat a nameplate with no visible name.
[Headmaster – ○ ○ ○]
A system notification followed.
[Challenge: Prove the qualifications of ‘Headmaster’!]
Red Cat was the first to discover the documents placed upon the desk.
Red Cat had already concluded that his position had grown precarious with the recent emergence of sycophants.
He needed to prove his worth through something other than flattery.
“Butler. The content itself is quite straightforward, I assure you!”
The tedious process of searching for challenges had been omitted.
It was all conveniently documented in the paperwork.
“Though I must say the difficulty level is somewhat absurdly inflated….”
Red Cat examined the documents meticulously.
Staking the pride of a dimensional monster, I would not miss a single character and would provide thorough support…!
Then, a knock sounded at the door.
The door opened and a familiar figure entered.
“My disciple, no—candidate founder!”
It was Professor Raymond.
“Professor?”
Red Cat quickly interjected.
He had changed “Professor” to “Master.”
To Raymond’s ears, it sounded like “Master.”
Of course, Raymond had caught on to some of Red Cat’s schemes, but he pretended not to notice.
As long as he heard “Master,” that was all that mattered!
In any case, Raymond’s expression brightened slightly upon hearing “Master.”
“It is customary that when establishing a magical school, an auditor is dispatched from the most recently established magical school!”
“Is that so?”
“I shall evaluate the candidate’s qualifications with utmost rigor. You must already sense it, but establishing a Magical University is extraordinarily demanding.”
Raymond’s expression was intensely serious.
He appeared far more meticulous than usual.
“For reference, the last Magical University was established two hundred years ago.”
That applies throughout the entire universe.
Pursuing the final tech tree is that difficult.
“Shall I show you the documents?”
Red Cat promptly handed over the paperwork.
He had already memorized every detail of the documents perfectly.
As the dispatched auditor, Raymond would not be able to pull any tricks, and I would monitor him thoroughly.
I would become an exemplary support cat that no one else could replace.
Choi Kang-mok scanned through the list.
“I see there is a requirement to register creation magic at least twice in the Mage Archive.”
“Good, approved.”
Raymond drew a line with his pen and signed.
A “-” mark automatically appeared on the list Choi Kang-mok was holding.
1. Register creation magic at least twice in the Mage Archive. (Deadline: 10 years)
Korean style
Red Cat flinched in surprise.
Wait a moment—something feels off.
His stern expression and solemn demeanor aside, his actions seem no different from those of other scheming courtiers!
I have an ominous feeling that I won’t get a chance to assist him at all!

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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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