The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 6

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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 006
The City Guild was the entity responsible for managing the Tower and Gates in each city.
When Awakened individuals cleared Tower floors and Gates, a portion of their spoils were transmitted to the guild as tribute.
The structure was simple: loot accumulated in the guild’s warehouse.
“To think the increase in Tower activity would be this noticeable.”
The quantity of tributed mana stones had risen by approximately six percent.
Artifacts and runes showed similar trends.
Both quantity and quality were climbing.
What was truly remarkable was that this might not even be the end.
“Certainly, it would be reasonable to assume they’re an Explorer-type Awakened.”
They were ascending the Tower without any physical intervention.
The consensus was that recruitment efforts should be tailored to an Explorer’s preferences.
Most of the Lords were reaching similar conclusions.
“Director Han, what about the EX-rank candidate?”
“Yes. Manager Choi said he would submit the report within the hour.”
“Forget the report. I don’t need scraps of paper—have him brief me in person.”
“Understood. I’ll summon him right away.”
Director Han Sang-hyun called in Choi Kang-chul, the ace of the Scout Department.
“You called for me, Guild Master?”
“Welcome, Manager Choi Kang-chul. Given the circumstances, let’s get straight to the point. The past Strongtree—also known as Tree Seat Choi Kang-mok. He’s your younger brother, correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“I understand you’ve met with him. What were the results?”
“Re-awakening is confirmed.”
Under normal circumstances, this alone would have been a tremendous discovery.
After all, I had just proven the first case of “re-awakening” ever documented—something that hadn’t been found in a single instance until now.
But right now, that wasn’t what mattered.
“However, regarding EX-rank awakening, he hasn’t disclosed anything to me.”
“Continue.”
“He claims he doesn’t know much about EX-rank matters. He says he’s not an EX-rank Awakened, though…”
“What’s your personal assessment, Manager Choi?”
“I believe my brother’s talent is extraordinary. Therefore, I cannot rule out the possibility that he’s an EX-rank Awakened. However, given my brother’s personality, if he were truly EX-rank, he would have likely bragged about it to me first.”
Lee Byung-gyu nodded in agreement.
Indeed. In the past, Tree Seat was somewhat of an attention-seeker.
He had boasted across countless online communities, declaring “I’m Strongtree!” and sharing various strategies and guides.
Incidentally, he had also taken the lead in establishing the “Mage Association” back then, which became the predecessor to the current World Magic Organization.
“However, much time has passed. He may have become more cautious. I’ll continue monitoring him. If my brother turns out to be EX-rank, I’ll be prepared to recruit him immediately.”
“Very well.”
A sigh escaped him.
Lee Byung-gyu knew about the first-generation Awakened, Tree Seat.
If it was Tree Seat, even EX-rank awakening wouldn’t be surprising.
No, he was also someone who believed that if anyone were to re-awaken as an EX-Rank, it had to be Mok-ja.
The performance he displayed in the early stages of his awakening exceeded imagination.
However, it would be difficult to ascertain it beforehand unless he revealed it himself.
“But my Lord.”
Choi Kang-chul hoped his younger brother would secure the maximum possible benefits.
Even if this became a problem later, he didn’t care.
He, as the older brother, would take responsibility.
For the past fifteen years, his younger brother had suffered too much.
“How much authority do I have? I’m asking in advance because it seems we’ll need to promise considerable incentives to keep an EX-Rank in Seoul.”
Lee Byung-gyu, the Lord of Seoul, narrowed his eyes.
‘Look at this.’
He didn’t know whether Mok-ja was an EX-Rank awakener or not.
Conversely, it was possible that Manager Choi Kang-chul had identified the identity of the EX-Rank awakener.
That’s what his instinct suggested.
If the guild couldn’t be trusted, there was also the possibility that he hadn’t given a definitive answer yet.
Even the Guild Master would have been the same.
Manager Choi Kang-chul was somewhat irritating, but he had to judge rationally.
‘What if I pressured Manager Choi Kang-chul and offended the EX-Rank awakener?’
That would be irreversible.
The initiative now lay with the EX-Rank awakener.
“The Seoul Guild is prepared to show proper respect to an EX-Rank awakener.”
We are prepared to offer the highest treatment.
“We intend to provide full support and protection, so I sincerely hope you will bring the EX-Rank to us.”

* * *
Returning to reality, Choi Kang-mok opened the Awakened One’s Shop.
───────
[Awakened One’s Shop]
[Floor 3]
1. Healing Potion (Low-Grade) – 5,000 Diamonds
2. Antidote Potion (Low-Grade) – 5,000 Diamonds
3. Mana Potion (Low-Grade) – 7,000 Diamonds
4. Trauma Potion (Low-Grade) – 10,000 Diamonds
───────
“Ugh, my arm’s falling apart.”
It had been fine while I was casting magic, but the moment my concentration broke, the pain came flooding in.
If it had been my heart instead of my arm, I’d probably be dead.
Still, I was fortunate.
“From Floor 3 onwards, trauma potions are available….”
Trauma potions are exceptionally effective against traumatic injuries.
Low-grade trauma potions, when used for trauma specifically, are more potent than mid-grade healing potions.
[You have purchased Trauma Potion.]
Gulp, gulp.
I drank seven bottles of trauma potion.
“This is serious, really.”
I was only grazed by the shrapnel, yet this was the result.
What if it had struck my head or heart instead of my arm?
I was lucky to be alive—otherwise I’d be dead.
“This won’t do.”
Investing in intellect for magical research was worthwhile, but only if I lived to pursue it.
To survive? I needed agility.
My pride as a mage took a slight hit, but there was no way around it.
‘My level is now 6.’
I’d climbed to the level cap limit in one go.
It was only natural.
I’d completely destroyed a colossal saw blade—something only high-level hunters could manage.
In any case, my level was now 6.
Remaining stat points: 6.
‘Regrettable, but unavoidable.’
I could only be a mage if I stayed alive.
I had no choice but to invest in agility.
At minimum, I needed to be able to dodge shrapnel flying toward my heart or head.
A form of magical evasion training, one might say.
Besides, there was some logic to justify the decision.
‘The day has come when I raise my agility with my own hands.’
This was the choice of ‘combat mages’.
───────
[STAT WINDOW]
Strength: 10
Stamina: 10
Agility: 16
Intelligence: 20
※Remaining Stats: 0
───────
Fifteen years ago, at fifteen years old, Choi Kang-mok aspired to become a pure mage.
[Combat mages are just pretenders to the mage title lol. Using this boundless discipline merely for combat? Magic is art. It’s application and creation.]
Back then, Choi Kang-mok was thoroughly intoxicated by ‘mage fever’.
[Do some real research. Using this magnificent discipline only for brawling? Are you all just Fireball machines?]
└When you see combat mages, they think they’re so macho, but reality? They drop dead instantly lol
└Magic was never really suited for combat anyway, unless it’s full-scale war
└It’s so pathetic how they’re always like “My Fireball beats your Ice Spear!” right?
└But at the end of the day, my slingshot cracks your skull, doesn’t it? hahahaha
This argument that Choi Kang-mok first championed had become the mainstream ideology of the current era.
There were complex social and cultural reasons for this, but in any case, combat mages were heavily ostracized within the mage community.
In the Tower civilization era, magic’s purpose was advancing civilization, not winning fights.
Moreover, magic proved to be extremely inefficient in combat, which only reinforced this view.
‘Well, everyone starts as a combat mage anyway.’
Regardless, early growth had to follow the combat mage path.
You could call it a running start toward higher growth.
Beginning this way didn’t seem like a bad idea.

* * *
‘For now, I’ll focus on growth.’
With fragments alone killing everything in sight, it was impossible to gather any meaningful data.
At minimum, observation should be possible, yet even that was beyond reach.
‘Let me be more proactive. Let me use this properly.’
Not just casting magic carelessly. But with the applications I envision.
Floor 4 filled me with great anticipation.
Because Floor 4 existed for ‘repeated practice’.
On Floor 4, a ‘dummy’ appears before the Tower entrance.
Destroying this dummy is the clear condition, and those called geniuses typically take about 4 hours.
Choi Kang-mok from 15 years ago also took around 4 hours.
‘I’m definitely faster than back then.’
Even by my own assessment, the damage output of ‘Energy Bolt’ was absurdly broken.
By rough calculation, I could endure for approximately 6 minutes.
‘The entry cooldown has reset!’
I entered the Tower immediately.
[You have entered Tower (Seoul) Floor 4.]
[Current Level: 6]
[Challenge: Destroy the dummy.]
Experience points accumulated from consecutive EX clears carried over.
[Your level has increased.]
[Current Level: 8]
My level rose again, adjusting to the level cap.
A scarecrow-shaped dummy materialized before my eyes.
I closed my eyes and concentrated.
‘This is easier.’
During combat, it’s difficult for a mage to focus solely on magic.
Because the battle situation changes in real time.
One must respond appropriately to those changes, so combat magic inevitably pursues only extreme efficiency.
This was one reason people didn’t praise ‘combat magic’.
All romance disappeared, leaving only malicious efficiency for harming the opponent.
Even when strength came from that, it was still far weaker than ordinary combat-type Awakeners, making ridicule commonplace.
Regardless, I hadn’t forgotten the lessons learned on Floor 3.
‘I’ll calculate even the fragments of the dummy scattering.’
There would be no repeating my previous mistakes.
I concentrated my mana to use Energy Bolt.
‘Hm?’
Agility +6.
My body was definitely lighter.
My spell-casting speed had definitely accelerated.
Now I understand why combat mages invest in agility.
‘Not bad at all.’
Mana coursing swiftly through my body.
My casting felt noticeably faster.
The mana sphere formed just a bit quicker.
[Skill Energy Bolt (S) activated.]
Crackle!
Excellent.
‘Everything’s gotten faster.’
Preparing the next spell came naturally faster too.
The wooden dummy still stood upright.
A dummy was just a dummy, after all.
My heart began to race. Again—another spell.
Let me cast the next one quickly—
Topple.
The wooden dummy collapsed.
[Dummy destroyed.]
[Congratulations!]
[Tower (Seoul) Floor 4 cleared at EX-Rank.]
“?”
I was slightly taken aback, but I had achieved my goal of clearing it at EX-Rank regardless.
“This should be… according to plan.”
Choi Kang-mok checked the rewards.
[You receive ‘EX-Rank Talisman (1/5)’.]
[You receive 1 EX Point.]
[You receive 100,000,000 Dia.]
The rewards were familiar.
But clearing Floor 4 would unlock ‘Armor’ in the Awakened Shop.
Back in reality, Choi Kang-mok opened the Awakened Shop.
“Awakened Shop.”

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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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