The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 296

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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 296
Her overall form resembled Red Cat’s.
Though she was slightly smaller and far more adorable.
Her fur was white, shimmering faintly with inspiration drawn from Light.
Red Cat tensed completely.
‘Cuter than me?’
That appearance was precisely Kang Hye’s taste.
‘To catch the general, shoot the horse…!’
Without anyone teaching her, Igniasha had already transformed into Kang Hye’s ideal form.
The sense of crisis that the surpassing between me and Igniasha was happening far faster than the surpassing between Pease and Choi Kang-mok was overwhelming.
‘Still, I’m more capable….’
I had to be.
“The method is incredibly simple, isn’t it?”
Igniasha demonstrated unexpected wisdom once more.
“I just need to stop time, right?”
“Hm?”
“Your master already struggles just resisting your butler’s time magic, doesn’t he?”
Choi Kang-mok’s disadvantage was indeed real.
But that didn’t mean Pease was comfortable either.
A difference as thin as a sheet of paper.
A single moment’s mistake or choice determines victory and defeat.
“I shall add one spoonful more of temporal authority!”
Red Cat interjected.
“How could you possibly wield temporal authority?”
“Why couldn’t I?”
Igniasha tilted her head curiously.
“Can’t you see how adorable I am?”
“….”
What does cuteness have to do with this?
Though it was hardly logical, Igniasha puffed up proudly.
“As my contractor grows, so too does this body!”
She fluffed her fur.
This was Kang Hye’s favorite form.
Every time, Kang Hye would shower her with “So cute♡”.
Recently, Igniasha had dominated the majority of Kang Hye’s SNS stories.
“I am a fragment of divinity!”
Though she lacked any real dignity in appearance, that was the lore.
Igniasha continued, puffing herself up with pride.
“The greatest authority of divinity is time itself! I can command the temporal flow!”
“Really? You? How exactly?”
“I have no idea!”
In any case, I can stop time for a brief moment.
It would be but an instant, yet in a battle between Pease and myself, that would be more than sufficient to determine victory or defeat.
“I’ll simply freeze him in place and strike him down!”
Then, a voice rang out.
“How adorable!”
It was Kang Hye, who had just returned home.
Kang Hye had been busy lately evading the press.
As the Emperor’s cherished sister, she drew intense scrutiny wherever she went.
In times like these, one must be especially cautious.
I mustn’t tarnish my brother’s reputation.
So I move about with utmost discretion, drawing as little attention as possible.
As a side note, my stealth skills have improved considerably.
In any case, only when I return home do I truly feel liberated.
And here at home is the most adorable white cat.
Its fur is fluffy and lustrous.
Kang Hye embraced Igniasha tightly.
“You’re so cute.”
Watching this, Choi Kang-mok smiled softly.
Seeing my sister so delighted warmed my heart.
Igniasha nodded as if it were only natural.
“Hmph.”

* * *
After hearing the explanation, Kang Hye made a suggestion.
“What if we bring in the Writers?”
Kang Hye knew well how dangerous Pease, the current 100th Floor boss, was.
As an explorer, she felt it more deeply than ordinary people.
“The Writers?”
“Yes. Basically, the Blue Writers are on my brother’s side.”
They called themselves ‘fans’.
In other words, mage fans.
Some called themselves male fans, others female fans.
“For my brother’s sake, they wouldn’t spare their ink.”
But that alone seemed insufficient.
Pease was too strong.
“We should mobilize the Black Writers too.”
Despite their complaints, there would still be those hoarding ink reserves.
To backstab at the final moment!
“Besides, there are probably plenty of cowards trembling in fear of assassination right now. We’re selling them indulgence.”
“…I see.”
I had already been thinking that tracking and assassinating them individually was pointless.
When would I even finish all that?
It would be better to spend that time studying magic instead.
Choi Kang-mok nodded.
“If we can influence the time on the 100th Floor and set up an environment where at least Igniasha can exert her power, that should do it.”
Small differences create large ones.
With this, I felt I could achieve victory against Pease.
“If possible, it would be even better as a mock battle.”
“A mock battle?”
Kang Hye tilted her head in confusion.
Could a Tower challenge be handled as a mock battle?
“Because one victory would be added to the record.”
“…Ah.”
Soon after, Kang Hye grasped both of my hands.
Tightly, as if in prayer.
“It will happen that way.”
“Really?”
“Yes. That’s what I believe.”
A notification reached Choi Kang-mok.
[A special relationship between Challenger and boss is confirmed.]
[The ‘challenge’ can be converted to mock battle format.]
Kang Hye, who hadn’t heard the notification, smiled brightly.
“See?”
“…This actually works?”
I’m always amazed whenever I see Kang Hye.
She keeps performing miracles that surpass even what a mage could accomplish.
‘I need to work harder too.’
Suddenly, Kang Hye asked with a worried expression.
“But oppa, isn’t the risk too high?”
“What risk?”
“Your record, oppa.”
Your victories outnumber your total battles.
But what if your opponent is Pease?
If things go wrong, you might record your first loss.
That would be absolutely fatal for a ‘Combat Mage’.
“Ah….”
Choi Kang-mok asked casually.
“Isn’t this just a mock battle between a disciple and master? Would a loss even be recorded?”
“…Huh?”
Kang Hye fell silent in thought for a moment.
If a master loses to a disciple, that’s a loss, but if a disciple loses to a master, isn’t that just learning?
“I think it’s one of two things—either you win or you learn.”
“Exactly, right?”
“Right.”
That’s a very good way to put it.
Win or learn.
“Yeah. Even if I lose, the loss won’t be recorded.”
[(Former) System Administrator. The Personified System is entering spectator mode.]
[I’m dying to see how far this mental gymnastics goes. I literally can’t help myself.]
[This is actually kind of addictive.]
[Not my job anymore anyway ♪]

* * *
Choi Kang-mok felt a brief pang of conscience.
‘Is this really okay?’
Selling indulgences to mobilize the Black Writers.
Leveraging fan loyalty to mobilize the Blue Writers as well.
On top of that, even deploying Igniasha’s divine authority as a fragment of a god.
Adding the mock battle setup, I had stacked the board entirely in my favor.
‘It’s fine.’
Combat has never been about choosing means or methods.
This isn’t an exchange—it’s battle.
The objective of battle must be ‘victory’.
‘My master simulated combat with me for an incredibly long time.’
He likely accounted for countless scenarios and prepared for them all.
Indeed, he was a magical creature born for combat.
‘Even if I can’t reach that level.’
Surely I can do at least this much?
This wasn’t cowardly at all.
“Master probably didn’t anticipate Igniasha’s abilities either.”
Still, I felt a bit uneasy.
I wanted to rush in and add one victory to my record right away, but I held back.
I decided to prepare a bit more, practice, and then challenge him.
In the meantime, surprising news arrived.
[England Incorporated into the ‘Korean Territory’]
Led by England’s monarch Foster, with 72% of citizens voting in favor.
England was now officially Korean territory.
[Breaking News: England Incorporated into ‘Greater England Autonomous Province’]
Korea’s new ‘province’ was the ‘Greater England Autonomous Province’.
Haha, did you get the golden citizenship or something?
Foster was no longer England’s monarch, but one of Korea’s Vice Lords.
A transition from monarch to Vice Lord.
-Your status has risen haha.
-Total win
-Foster’s doing great
-I’m jealous of the British guys.
-What’s Spaloti doing? I’m ready to vote too
Movements emerged from around the world: ‘Let us vote too!’
However, voting alone didn’t guarantee everyone could obtain Korean citizenship.
It required the approval of Korea’s monarch Lee Byung-gyu and the administrative support of Occupying Monarch Choi Kang-chul.
-Saudi Arabia: We’re in line
-Italy: We’re first
Even China and Japan had joined in.
-Lethal dose of national pride lmao
-And this is real?
-Just collecting headlines would make a whole national pride channel lol
Who was first.
Who was closer to Korea.
While they bickered like that, I felt a slight sense of confusion.
“Right. I need to clear the Labyrinth first.”
I’d been so busy lately that I’d forgotten about the Labyrinth.
No matter how many invitation letters from the bosses I had, I cleared the Tower before clearing the Labyrinth first?
Just then, Kang Pal-do teleported over.
“Hey. Kang-mok. My AI wants to tell you something.”
“What?”
“Seems like a system notification or something.”
“Why through the Mine?”
“Because my second identity is a trumpet, right?”
It was awkward to convey it as an official notification. But it also felt wrong not to convey it.
“I think the system AI got synchronized a lot while being influenced by my AI. Anyway, listen to this.”
Kang Pal-do shared his AI’s voice.
[You have already perfectly conquered the Labyrinth.]
“Me? When?”
[A preemptive clear spell has been deployed.]
Kang Pal-do asked.
“You deployed something like that?”
“No?”
I’d reached a level where I could perform miracles without even using magic, but even so, this bothered my conscience a bit.
If it had said preemptive [automatic] clear magic instead, I could have accepted it somewhat.
Kang Pal-do clicked his tongue.
“Wow. That’s it!”
“What?”
“VIP special treatment.”
Department stores also give special treatment to VIPs.
From valet service on the small end to venue rentals on the large end.
“The system clearly looked out for your convenience.”
[That is not the case. This system is fair, and providing convenience to individuals is strictly prohibited. The situation in question is merely a natural result from the great and magnificent preemptive automatic clear magic of the ‘Mage’.]
“That’s what it says, Kang-mok.”
I nodded.
I’d deployed a clear spell without even knowing it.
Since it wasn’t important, I decided to just accept it and move on.
“Wait.”
All these experiences bestow upon me inspiration as a mage.
“Preemptive automatic clear magic?”
Is such a thing even possible?
No, such a thing is possible!
“Then, couldn’t the 100th Floor also be automatically cleared?”
Couldn’t it be automatically cleared?
Couldn’t I achieve victory without fighting directly?
“My master will naturally interfere, but….”
I could probably manage that with Igniasha’s temporal authority.
If the clear is acknowledged that way, wouldn’t that also be a form of victory?
Kang Pal-do’s expression darkened.
“Keep your conscience in check, Kang-mok. Do you really think that would work?”

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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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