The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 44

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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 044
Most dealers prefer area-of-effect magic when facing interception-type tanks.
The logic is simple: suppress with range, and interception becomes useless.
But Joshua’s thinking differed.
‘Penetration is far more efficient.’
Magic that tears through interception itself and advances.
That, he believed, was the true aesthetics of combat magic.
Area-of-effect magic was unnecessarily broad.
Unnecessarily flashy, and wastefully squandered.
Joshua was a combat mage who pursued efficiency.
Within limited mana, he had to extract maximum lethality.
Eight fire birds flew toward their target, thoroughly cutting off all escape routes.
“I shall not forget your sacrifice.”
He placed his right hand over his left chest.
As if in silent tribute.
As if his opponent were already dead.
Choi Kang-mok, watching this scene, fell momentarily blank.
Then suddenly, a hollow laugh escaped him.
‘Is this also reverse-sense?’
Truly, he felt no crisis whatsoever.
The ‘Black Burst’ had no effect on Choi Kang-mok.
Darkened vision.
That was all.
It didn’t even touch his shield.
It wasn’t filtered by friend-foe identification either.
Yet it had no effect at all.
The reason was simpler than expected.
‘The scroll’s materials must have included a Sapphire Golem core.’
Choi Kang-mok possessed complete immunity to all golem-class explosions.
‘This works?’
In fact, most modern Tower-civilization bombs derived from golem-core-based technology.
It meant immunity to the vast majority of explosives.
At this point, Choi Kang-mok fell into contemplation.
‘I need to focus on destroying the Pocket Dimension.’
The Tower Floor 20 Pocket Dimension was extraordinarily resilient.
Even its recovery speed was miraculous to witness.
The situation demanded extreme concentration, so I had to clear the surroundings.
‘Should I neutralize Joshua first?’
There were three enemies to face.
The Pocket Dimension.
The Sorcerer.
Joshua and Kim Kang-hyun.
A moment’s hesitation.
In that instant, the combat mage Joshua wove hand seals and chanted an incantation.
“Cooldown negation linked magic. Reignition. Phoenix Fire.”
Eight of them.
Eight phoenixes of flame descended once more, sealing every escape route.
‘Impressive display, but….’
There was no real threat.
The magic I typically faced consisted of thousands of fragments—”mana shards” scattered in all directions.
Eight phoenixes were merely a spectacular fireworks show.
‘Bothersome, though.’
Still, my concentration was being divided.
To destroy the Pocket Dimension, what I needed now was precise focus.
Then, Mayo’s voice reached me.
-The user’s interference factors are somewhat unusual.
-Physical responses have become clouded. Awakening maintenance rate is dropping rapidly.
-Collapse faster than anticipated. How intriguing.
Both of them were forcibly ejected from the Tower.
I understood the situation better than anyone.
“Ah.”
I had been affected by the Tower Floor 20’s Pocket Dimension.
“My Awakening has been dispelled.”
Only now did I grasp the full picture.
Tower Floor 20 was originally a floor where the Awakening Dispel Pocket Dimension operated.
That Pocket Dimension had been severely weakened because of me.
“At first, I wasn’t affected….”
As the Pocket Dimension recovered, it eventually dispelled my Awakening.
The Tower is a space accessible only to Awakeners.
Once Awakening is dispelled, immediate forced ejection follows.
-This Mayo has acquired facial data on the two intruders.
-Full frontal and lateral 3D facial scans complete. Voice samples being recorded.
-The most recommended cutting angle would be from the jaw to the clavicle.
-Ah, the femur is also quite suitable. The tendons snap so beautifully. Hehehehe… hehehehe…

* * *
The obstructors vanished.
“I’ve already burned through 58 seconds.”
Aiming for an EX-rank clear.
My heart began to race.
Yet paradoxically, the situation began to shift in my favor.
“Kekekeke.”
The Sorcerer draped in robes emerged into view.
It seemed he had detected someone losing their awakening.
Darkness cloaked his face as he laughed.
A [!] marker floated above his head.
“Yes, that’s how it was.”
Fifteen years ago, it was the same.
That day when I was cast out as an unawakened.
That grim reaper of a Sorcerer had approached me with a “kekekeke” laugh.
“Back then, I was paralyzed by fear.”
And I was forcibly ejected from the Tower.
This situation mirrors that one.
The difference is that Choi Kang-mok now has an Energy Bolt charged in his hand.
“Suddenly, I’m furious.”
Kekekeke? Laughing?
I can’t tolerate this.
Sometimes, certain angers drive one toward rather extreme attempts.
[Skill, Energy Bolt (S) activated.]
Double-strength talisman. Mana compression. Penetration attribute granted.
And the angle to pierce both the Pocket Dimension circuit and the Sorcerer in a single line.
‘Conveniently, they’re perfectly aligned.’
Positioned in a straight line with that mana circuit forming the foundation of the Pocket Dimension.
If I split the two Energy Bolts at the proper angles, I can pierce through the Sorcerer and strike the Pocket Dimension itself.
‘Let’s do it.’
Time has already been wasted considerably.
This is no moment for leisurely researching Pocket Dimension collisions.
My urgency intensified.
Crackle!
The Energy Bolt discharged.
‘Penetration successful. Hurry, reach the Pocket Dimension!’
I had granted maximum penetration attribute.
Piercing as rapidly as possible to strike the core circuits of the Pocket Dimension.
[Challenge completed.]
Boom-boom-boom-boom-!
The world trembled.
The job-linked title effect ‘Pocket Dimension Destroyer’ activated.
“Cough!”
Blood sprayed from my mouth.
A sound of rupture echoed from within my body.
I cannot provide a translation for this text as it appears to be corrupted or contains garbled characters that don’t form coherent Korean words or sentences.
The notification crackled with static.
The pixelated sky tore apart as the world began to collapse.
There was no time to verify whether the Pocket Dimension had been completely destroyed.
“Exit.”
Before I could even catch my breath, another notification followed.
[Sudden Trial, ‘Second Encounter’ in progress: An anomaly has been detected.]
[Despite the presence of a de-awakened player within Tower Floor 20, the trial was cleared (Grade: EX).]
[Hidden rules are being revealed.]
‘What?’
The appearance of the interferers had instead become a stroke of fortune.
In exchange for their de-awakening, a reward was granted to Choi Kang-mok.
[‘Permanent De-awakening Exemption Voucher’ has been awarded.]
[The Permanent De-awakening Exemption Voucher is automatically applied.]
Particles of light descended upon my entire body.
Now, no matter what floor or Pocket Dimension, nothing could sever my awakening.
“Wow…!”
Kim Kang-hyun and Joshua.
The interference they had thrown had instead returned as a privilege.
But there was a price to pay as well.
[Sudden Trial, ‘Second Encounter’ has partially failed.]
[Tower Floor 20 is being updated.]
[Domain: Earth]
A world announcement appeared.
[!World Announcement!]
[As a result of the partial failure, the Crisis System has been activated.]
───────
[Tower Floor 20 (Crisis)]
An unknown force begins to surge across Floor 20.
The difficulty of Floor 20 increases dramatically.
Awakeners, exercise caution upon entering Floor 20!
───────
Color returned to the Tower that had been dyed in ash gray.
Floor 20 had transformed into a crimson hue.
[A Crisis? What is this? What does partial failure even mean?]
└ Something keeps changing, honestly it’s terrifying
└ I already cleared Floor 20 so I’m good lol ^.~
└ Welcome newbies~ this is the land of death☆
Then a notification arrived for Choi Kang-mok personally.
[Calculating clear rank.]
[EX+ rank clear achieved!]
───────
[Hall of Fame (Floor 20)]
1. – (Seoul, EX+)
…
───────
It had been a long time since I achieved an EX+ clear.
[You receive 2 EX Points.]
[You receive 200,000,000 Diamonds.]
From Floor 20 onwards, rewards doubled.
With Kang Hye’s bloodline blessing effect added, my EX Points totaled 4,
and with the 5-consecutive EX bonus (+5) stacked on top.
From a single floor, I obtained a total of 14 EX Points.
And the final reward arrived.
[You have partially succeeded in the sudden trial, ‘Second Encounter’.]
Where there is partial failure in one matter, there must also be partial success.
[You cleared this floor with EX+ rank and claimed 1st place in the Hall of Fame.]
[For partial success in the sudden trial and recording 1st place in the Hall of Fame, a minor privilege is granted.]
A small magic stone was placed in my hand.
A replay video containing the record of partial success.
That magic stone, recorded from a first-person perspective, felt like the Tower’s quiet encouragement: ‘Next time, try to succeed perfectly’.
“I’ll send this to the Seoul Guild and make it public.”
‘Partial failure’ meant someone had been de-awakened on the de-awakening floor.
That’s why the crisis system was activated on Floor 20.
Joshua and Kim Kang-hyun.
The ones who carved the ‘condition of failure’ into the Tower.
Those names would now be recorded.
“The one who makes the mess should clean it up.”
And the final notification.
[‘EX Shop Stage 2’ is currently being prepared.]
[Updating….]
Along with a notification that Floor 20’s EX Shop opening was impossible, I exited the Tower.
As I came out after clearing the Tower, the entire world was in an uproar.

* * *
From a global perspective, it was nothing short of a catastrophe.
[I just got my Awakening revoked lmao]
└What?
└Soon as I entered, it just got cancelled
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Are you a non-awakened person? Tttttttt
└ Mom, I can’t use magic anymore….
↳ Well, you were always magical anyway^^
The strategy guide for Tower Floor 20 became worthless overnight.
Countless Awakeners challenged the “Ordeal” only to have their Awakening stripped away on the spot.
Without even understanding why it happened.
Even high-level Awakeners began hesitating to enter Floor 20, and the community started circulating several theories.
[Isn’t this somehow connected to the EX-rank Awakener’s EX+ clear?]
└ High chance it’s because of the EX-rank Awakener
└ There was chaos on Floor 7 too
└ Let’s just wait and see then. Maybe this’ll turn out “for the better” again?
Just as with the massive disappearance incident on Floor 7, the EX-rank Awakener once again became the center of public scrutiny.
The difference this time was that it wasn’t just South Korea in an uproar—it was the entire Earth.
[Bet in a bit we’ll all be saying “actually, this is great”]
└ We believe in you, EX-hyung
└ There’s no traitor who doubts the EX-god, right?
Joshua, hiding out in a hotel in Gyeonggi Province, contacted the Real Madrid leadership.
“This Floor 20 Ordeal incident was caused by the EX-rank Awakener.”
-Are you certain of that?
“I witnessed it directly. He satisfied special conditions to achieve an EX+ clear, and as a result, the Ordeal system was activated. I myself was caught up in his scheme….”
Joshua bit his lip.
“I nearly became a non-Awakener as well.”
Actually, I did become one.
But I didn’t reveal that.
I might be abandoned if I did.
-Can you disclose this officially?
“I will obey the Lord’s command. However, the Seoul Guild will likely target me. They wouldn’t want the EX-rank Awakener’s tyranny to come to light. To operate while deceiving their eyes, I’ll need special operational funds. Korean currency would be more convenient for activities than diamonds.”
-Receive 3 billion won from the Sixth Point tomorrow.
After hanging up, Joshua leaned against the wall and sat down.
Kim Kang-hyun, who had been sitting with a serious expression, asked.
“How did it go?”
“Phew, damn it. Anyway, I’m getting 3 billion won.”
I became a non-Awakener.
There’s hardly any place in this world for non-Awakeners to stand.
At least with 3 billion won, I can somehow get back on my feet.
‘I will not crumble like this.’
Joshua clenched his teeth.
He would rise again, no matter what.
And someday, the day would come when he would bring down that EX-rank Awakener.
But then, a knock sounded at the door.
Thump thump!
It was a rather dull sound for a knock.
Joshua, startled awake, pushed himself upright.
“Gasp!”
Beneath the door, words composed of mana seeped through slowly.
Fluorescent light. Letters that seemed to flicker slightly.
-I, Mayo, have recorded everything you all did on Floor 20.
-It was a far more boring choice than I expected 🙂
-Next time, instead of a record, it might become a cleanup. 🙂

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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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