The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 61

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Return of an EX-Rank Mage Episode 061
Floor 10. Floor 20. Floor 30.
Players from London, Saudi Arabia, and New York—all ranking within the top 20 globally—appeared in droves.
Excluding the top-ranked player, the rest were locked in a three-way struggle.
[This is insane lol. Shouldn’t the national rankings be climbing too?]
└They actually are climbing rn
└’Tower climbing’ has shot straight up
└Saudi Arabia was already a cheat map, and now it’s getting even better?
└Ridiculously, it’s improving even more lmao
[Clearing Floor 30 means Floor 40 is possible now, right?]
└Floor 40 is totally doable
└It’s early stages right now, but later on, New York and Saudi Arabia could sweep the upper ranks
└Getting close to an EX-Rank Awakener means benefits pouring down like a waterfall?
└Yeah, they picked the right side lol
Around that time, a certain hypothesis began spreading among users.
EX Scrolls are the ultimate boss-fight cheat key.
[Floors 11-15 are basically boss-fight structures anyway, right?]
└True, you really only need to defeat one golem in those sections
└Since scrolls are limited in quantity, they’re going with a ‘prioritize boss floors’ strategy
└Targeting boss-floor rankings is more advantageous for tower climbing anyway
Only one person in the entire world could create EX Scrolls.
Only one in existence.
Demand is an ocean; supply is a water bottle.
Had sufficient supply been possible, the landscape of the Hall of Fame would have been completely different.
[London and Saudi Arabia make sense, but… New York rising like this? First time I’ve seen it?]
└Munich’s out, and Real Madrid’s gone too lol. What is this?
└Munich’s confused, Real Madrid’s confused, Western Europe’s pride is crumbling
└You can hear Western Europe’s pride collapsing all the way over here~

* * *
One name alone had dominated Earth: the United States.
Economics, military, culture.
In every aspect, the world revolved around America.
But after the Tower appeared, the order shifted.
America’s standing crumbled gradually, and Western Europe and South America began to take its place.
Now no one called America a superpower anymore.
The entire world had begun classifying them as a “second-tier nation.”
Among them, New York’s fall was particularly steep.
In Korean terms, it was similar to Seoul.
New York had earned the ignominy of being the last-place city within America itself.
But change had come to that city.
───────
[Hall of Fame – Floor 10]
[Global] [Individual]
1. – (South Korea, EX)
2. Ferreira (United States, SSS)
…
9. Houston (United States, SS)
…
───────
The Hall of Fame’s 10th Floor.
Of those twenty names, a full five hailed from New York.
The 20th and 30th Floors were no different.
The name of a dead city was coming back to life.
[New York’s Resurgence Begins Anew!]
[The Long Winter Has Ended—Now Comes Spring.]
All of America was astir.
A glimmer of hope after so long.
At last, American players were stepping onto the world stage.
└Make America great again!
└When winter ends, spring arrives. This is merely the beginning.
At the center of it all stood Malcolm, the Lord of New York.
His fame had reached the top position in an instant.
The citizens of a fallen superpower had projected their hopes onto him.
But Malcolm himself was not elated.
‘This is not my strength.’
The influence of an EX-Rank Awakener.
More precisely, the fortune of one chosen.
Malcolm understood that fact all too well.
That was why I remained composed, why I could stay cold.
I reached out to the lords of America.
“We must become one.”
The moment had arrived when we needed to move as a unified force.
The time had come to pursue the consolidation of city-states into a single nation.
Before the national crisis, South Korea had demonstrated what unity could achieve.
Spain was also leading the way forward.
‘Spain is rallying behind the banner of overthrowing the EX-Awakened.’
Most of Western Europe, excluding England, employed the same strategy.
But America was different.
“The Post-Tower Civilization era is approaching. The alliance we must choose is clear.”
“South Korea.”
“Seoul.”
“The EX-Awakened.”
The nations that had lost hegemony made their decisions swiftly.
They acknowledged their own circumstances and chose the most pragmatic path in preparation for the coming Tower Civilization 2.0 era.
Consensus came quickly.
“We propose elevating Malcolm, the lord of New York, to Grand Lord.”
“I agree.”
“Chicago agrees as well.”
“San Francisco also agrees.”
No one objected.
Malcolm was the only channel through which direct communication with the EX-Awakened was possible.
Now America’s position was clear.
The primary negotiation target. The most crucial strategic ally was the EX-Awakened.
“Make America great again!”
“Make America great again!”
The opening of Tower Civilization 2.0.
It was a crossroads in history where Western Europe and America began to walk different paths for the first time.

* * *
‘I should pause my Tower ascent for now.’
Climbing is certainly exhilarating.
But that’s not everything.
For me, the Tower isn’t a goal—it’s a means to an end.
What I truly desire is magic of a higher caliber.
‘I need to master high-ranking spirits.’
Now was the perfect moment.
My stats—stamina, strength, agility—had all risen sufficiently.
Crafting dozens of scrolls had noticeably sharpened my Pocket Dimension control and magical proficiency.
With this level of preparation, I could truly master magic.
[Entering Tower (Seoul) Floor 4 (Reconstruction).]
I was fortunate that my last draw succeeded.
Thanks to the side-effect removal talisman, there were no adverse effects whatsoever from entering the Tower.
“Exhale.”
The universe’s fortune was assisting me in every conceivable way.
The Energy Fragment Scroll had sparked explosive demand, and my profits had begun exceeding astronomical figures.
Honestly, I’d stopped counting exactly how much I earned.
Tens of billions of diamonds daily—that’s all I registered anymore.
‘The reconstruction made it far sturdier and more expansive. Thanks to Rank 9 Bloodline Blessing, unlimited entry is possible.’
Moreover, when using offensive magic, there’s no mana consumption whatsoever.
Where else could one find such ideal conditions for magical training?
Without the universe’s aid, this would have been impossible.
And yet I haven’t mastered high-ranking spirits?
That would deserve divine punishment.
‘This is a threshold I absolutely must overcome.’
To learn other magics,
I had to completely master high-ranking spirits.
Layering new magic atop a weak foundation would tangle my mana circuits and create side effects.
Magic, ultimately, is an academic discipline.
One cannot perform calculus without understanding addition and subtraction.
“The fundamental structure originates from elemental magic….”
Fire, water, wind, earth, light, darkness.
Advanced offensive magic based on six elemental attributes.
Theoretically, I understand it.
However.
“My comprehension of the elements is still insufficient.”
Energy Bolt, strictly speaking, leaned toward lightning-type magic.
An alien attribute not included in the six elements of high-ranking spirits.
“The most familiar to me is wind.”
Wind shared many similarities with mana pressure control.
There were aspects that resonated on a sensory level.
“Let me master it one step at a time while using magic.”
[Skill, High Spirit (SSS+) is being used.]
…
[Skill, High Spirit (SSS+) is being used.]
I lost track of time and lost myself.
I entered a state of absolute focus and became absorbed in magical research.

* * *
The moment I exited the Tower.
A sharp voice cut through.
“Stop! You maniac! Stop! If you go in again, bloodline blessings or whatever won’t matter!”
It was Kang Hye.
She threw a binding lasso with all her strength, but Choi Kang-mok was in an ‘invincible’ state right after exiting.
The lasso couldn’t even graze his body and bounced back, striking Kang Hye’s chest directly.
“Ugh!”
Thud.
Kang Hye staggered backward with a cry mixed with pain.
“You maniac, you haven’t eaten for four days!”
“Huh?”
Choi Kang-mok blinked belatedly and tilted his head.
“Has it really been that long?”
Surely this was Kang Hye’s typical exaggeration.
At most, three hours had passed.
Just then, my stomach growled—*grrrrrr*.
Intense hunger surged through me.
-I… I’m also… extremely hungry… too…
Mayo’s words had become extremely slow.
Even just reading the text, I could sense the starvation.
Checking my phone, three days had indeed passed.
I was shocked myself.
“Am I insane?”
“Or am I even more insane?”
I immediately inserted EX coins into Mayo’s body.
Three in a row, out of apology.
As Mayo’s body gulped down the EX coins, a [FULL] indicator appeared.
-I feel like I might actually survive now.
-It was extreme suffering 🙂
“Give me a heads-up next time.”
—The master concentrating on magic
looked so
beautiful.
—I, Mayo, cannot interfere even if it means starving to death.
Choi Kang-mok chuckled softly.
Now that I thought about it, I was incredibly hungry.
“You crazy bastard, eat something.”
Kang Hye threw a binding lasso at me again.
This time, even Mayo didn’t deflect it.
It was possible because there was no hostility whatsoever.
Whoosh—!
The lasso coiled around my torso.
“Now, to the dining table. Execute.”
“Fine, fine.”
The table was laden with a generous spread of food.
As I sat down, Kang Hye slammed a vitamin bottle and water glass down with sharp, irritated movements.
“Seriously, are you insane? Who goes three days without eating or drinking, just entering and leaving repeatedly like some madman?”
“Hey, Kang Hye.”
Close your mouth and eat first.
I chewed the rice quietly and continued with what I wanted to say.
“I discovered something incredible while practicing magic.”
“Not interested.”
“I’m serious.”
“…Not interested. Just eat.”
“You know about High Spirits, right?”
“Not interested!”
“And you know mine is SSS+ magic?”
“Really not interested at—”
Kang Hye’s pupils trembled slightly, her lips quivering.
Her rationality finally crumbled.
“What? What is it? What’s so amazing?”
Explorer.
A faint sparkle ignited in Kang Hye’s eyes.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————