The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 76

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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 076
North Korea was one of the nations that had adapted to the Tower Civilization era in the most distinctive manner.
Most countries had fractured into city-state systems, descending into chaos that bordered on civil war.
Yet North Korea maintained a powerful centralized authority, completing a unified community centered around the Pyongyang Guild.
At the heart of this structure stood Lee Tae-gwang, the Grand Lord and Sovereign of Pyongyang.
“A proposal has arrived from Beijing.”
Lee Tae-gwang’s voice was heavy and resolute.
Beijing’s proposal was unambiguous.
Capture the EX-Rank Awakener.
The ideal outcome was acquisition; the fallback was elimination.
“What of the Tunnelers?”
“Their capabilities have increased dramatically.”
North Korea possessed special Awakeners known as Tunnelers.
They were a unique profession that emerged exclusively in divided nations across the entire world.
[Global Region, Asian Continent, Special Area Announcement!]
[Confirmed affiliation with a divided nation.]
[Awakening to the special profession: Tunneler.]
Tunnelers possessed the ability to open “temporary passages” at border boundaries.
Even during Tower Civilization 1.0, when physical entry was completely sealed, they crossed borders.
It was a boundary-unsealing ability granted by the system, scarcely known throughout the world.
“What of the Tower-to-Tower transit tactics?”
“Completed. We’ve secured a promise of cooperation from the Incheon Ruler.”
Tower-to-Tower movement—previously impossible.
But since the EX-Rank Awakener’s emergence, Tunneler research had accelerated dramatically.
They had learned from the EX-Rank Awakener that Tower-to-Tower movement was possible.
Restrictions existed, however.
Tunnelers could only move between Towers in divided nations, and required the city lord’s authorization.
But those conditions had been satisfied.
The Incheon Ruler had promised cooperation.
“Direct movement from Pyongyang Tower to Incheon Tower is now possible. We’ve also secured regions presumed to be Seoul Guild safe houses.”
The plan was flawless.
“Now’s the time. Those Seoul bastards will be distracted.”
The “Reconstruction Layer” where Balruns now dropped had engulfed everything in a festival atmosphere.
With Seoul Guild’s personnel stretched thin managing Busan Tower, this was the perfect opportunity.
Pyongyang’s assassination specialists began moving quietly toward Incheon.

* * *
Thanks to the abundant supply of EX Coins, Mayo was quietly savoring a sense of contentment.
-Now, even when it’s not strictly necessary… I consume them. Because they taste good.
-This kind of luxury is a first for me.
Before, I had to consume EX Coins as an absolute necessity to maintain operations.
But now?
I simply eat them for the flavor.
-My current state is… extremely stable.
Perhaps that’s why.
The occasional fragments of ‘us’ that emerge have grown quiet.
-So this is what ‘satiation’ feels like.
Then.
[Eavesdropping attempt detected.]
───────
[Security]
1. Eavesdrop Detection: 10 (Maximum Level Reached)
2. Friend-or-Foe Identification: 10 (Maximum Level Reached)
3. Tracking: 10 (Maximum Level Reached)
───────
Any ordinary eavesdropping activity occurring within Seoul’s jurisdiction could never escape Mayo’s surveillance network.
Perhaps from consuming so many EX Coins, Mayo had recently developed an almost leisurely demeanor.
–
My master
is… meditating, it seems.
-I should handle this matter myself.
Quietly, I tilted my body and glanced at Choi Kang-mok.
From Choi Kang-mok, who sat in lotus position, emanated a tranquility so profound that not a single breath seemed disturbed.
–
This is our
affair, after all.
I deliberately adjusted the friend-or-foe identification range to allow the intruder to approach closer.
Moments later, identification complete.
-I will trace their point of origin.
Pink guidance threads bloomed from Mayo’s form.
Thin lines visible only to my eyes stretched outward in all directions.
The direction was westward.
At that moment, Choi Kang-mok opened his eyes.
“What is it, Mayo?”
-I have detected the detection of an enemy. The intensity is negligible.
The problem, if there is one, is that they’ve already ventured far beyond Seoul’s jurisdiction.
Mayo alone found it rather difficult.
-The direction is certain. West.
-However… beyond that, my perception falls a bit short.
What stimulus had I received?
Mayo’s body crackled with electricity.
-Let’s go west. Together. I’ll chase them. Chase them down, find them, and tear them to shreds from neck to toe. They fled westward—how convenient. Walking together like this is romantic, like a hunt. Let’s go. We must go together. Only then are we complete.
The words poured out far longer than usual.
–
We
seem to have accepted this as a date.
I was thinking the same thing.
These trivial remarks no longer shake me so easily.
“Toward Incheon Tower?”
A [?] symbol appeared above Mayo’s body, and I grinned wickedly.
A simple map and image materialized in my mind’s eye.
‘As expected, practice never betrays.’
Understanding the Tower required essential perceptual training of its internal layout.
I had practiced that within the Tower’s enigmatic spaces.
Applying it to familiar real-world terrain, the map materialized with astonishing clarity.
-You understand that as the effect of practice.
-It is practice. Though the results are abnormally efficient and mysteriously perfected.
“Hmm?”
-I doubt an ordinarily talented human who practiced spatial comprehension in the Tower would achieve this level of map perception.
The pink guidance line seemed to cut off at Incheon Tower, then suddenly sprouted again from the direction of Pyongyang.
That was all I could discern.
‘A shame.’
I had a feeling that with higher intellect, I could have known for certain.
‘Still, growth itself is assured… wait, isn’t this a kind of minimap ability?’
A minimap is a lord-exclusive ability.
A strategic terrain-perception skill that lets one see the entire battlefield from above at a glance.
In other words, only lords use it.
‘No, that’s not right. Christine uses navigation magic too.’
Surely some mages could use a minimap as well.
Rationalization complete.

* * *
Choi Kang-mok transmitted the information to the Seoul Guild.
Seoul Guild Master Lee Byung-gyu could grasp the situation in broad strokes.
Just as North Korea had them, South Korea—a divided nation—certainly possessed ‘Tunnelers’ as well.
Lee Byung-gyu could deduce it.
North Korea had orchestrated this scheme, and the Incheon Lord had lent his hand to it.
‘The Incheon Lord…!’
Relations with the Incheon Lord had recently deteriorated sharply.
After all, Seoul had stolen the title of South Korea’s Number One Mining Guild from him.
-We will absolutely uncover evidence and provide protection for your safety….
But the response from Choi Kang-mok was unexpected.
“May I handle it myself?”
-You personally?
“Yes. Thanks to them, a wonderful opportunity has presented itself.”
-A wonderful opportunity, you say….
“I’ve discovered Mayo’s growth condition.”
Currently, Mayo’s growth had stagnated.
But these grateful sources of experience (the Pyongyang Guild’s special task force) had satisfied a specific condition.
[!Special Condition Satisfied!]
[Hostile players from other nations have entered Mayo’s domain.]
[Security tab, next stage unlocked.]
‘Security 2’ had been generated following ‘Security’.
───────
[Security 2]
1. (Locked)
───────
An advanced version of Security.
After that, things proceeded much as before.
The difference lay in the EX Coin consumption.
Unlocking alone required a staggering 10 EX Coins.
‘Is this inflation actually real?’
Inflation of growth currency.
Of course, I’d prepared myself, but not to this extent.
[Upon unlocking, Mayo’s operational energy will increase substantially.]
[EX Coin 1/12 hours]
Originally, it had been 1 EX Coin per 72 hours.
Now it had been reduced to one-sixth of that.
Mayo’s body turned crimson.
-I should have kept my mouth shut.
-Humans call this a ‘flag’, do they not?
Mayo reproached herself for having once said, “EX Coins are overflowing.”
—EX Coins are insufficient.
Recently, Mayo, who had been relatively stable, went haywire.
—I’m starving, starving, Master. I want to devour even the sound of your breathing. Fill me, Master, with—
—Magical reaction speed decrease observed in malnourished state. Data collection in progress. Good, this is research, continuing experiments until critical threshold reached. Experimental values are
This is starvation!!!
—When emptiness spreads, my fingertips tremble. I want to eat… bones, flesh, slippery tendons, a void that can only be filled by the sensation of chewing…
—Must burst, must destroy, everything good, bite it full in my mouth and burst it to taste the flavor, art! It bursts! It shatters!
For the first time in a while, my head was noisy.
‘We’ had each established our own domains to some degree, expressing our intentions in a certain order.
Though these voices eroded consciousness, the synchronization speed was far slower than expected.
Some of it was due to Mayo’s stabilization after upgrading, but the decisive factor was Choi Kang-mok’s low mental fortitude.
In any case, I currently possessed roughly twenty EX Coins.
But there was no need to hesitate.
“I’ll do it anyway.”
Considering what Mayo had done for me, this level of investment was trivial.
The more I reinforced her, the more stable Mayo became—a bonus.
[Unlocking security…]
───────
[Security 2]
1. Capture: 0 (+)
───────
[Consuming 10 EX Coins…]
───────
[Security 2]
1. Capture: 1 (+)
───────
The ‘Capture’ function had unlocked.
Mayo’s first advanced stat.
Finally, the Pyongyang Guild’s special operatives approached the vicinity of the An House.
Of course, this was only possible because Mayo had permitted it.
They reached the front gate of the An House without any danger.
Shin Young-chul, captain of the Pyongyang Guild’s special task force, furrowed his brow.
‘Isn’t this too easy?’
Something felt off. It was a large, detached residence.
He sensed that a massive veil—a barrier—was spread across this place.
He even discerned that it was a type of Pocket Dimension.
He had visited other candidates for the An House, but this one was different.
“Shh. This must be where that EX-Rank fool is hiding.”
“Captain, someone is approaching.”
The spacious yard of a single-family home.
A man in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts emerged.
He matched the exact appearance of the EX-Rank Awakener that the Incheon Lord had provided.
He was completely defenseless.
He showed no signs of detecting anything amiss.
‘Was he incompetent rather than suspicious?’
Well.
Without the EX-Rank Awakener, Seoul ranked dead last in South Korea anyway.
Shin Young-chul smirked.
“Some EX-Rank nobody.”
“Wow.”
A pink guidance line shot up toward Pyongyang.
I understood without explanation—just by the feeling.
North Korea.
How they arrived didn’t matter.
In the Tower civilization era, nothing was impossible.
Shin Young-chul spoke with confidence.
“You thought we couldn’t find you if you hid?”
“?”
I hadn’t hidden at all.
I was simply here because the An House that the Seoul Guild provided was comfortable.
“Just follow me quietly.”
The Pyongyang Guild members surrounded Choi Kang-mok.
They were aware that Lee Kang-nam, a Daegu-ranked ranker, had been defeated by Choi Kang-mok.
These specially trained elite operatives did not let their guard down.
“You’re from Pyongyang, aren’t you?”
North Korea was unified around Pyongyang.
It was safe to say that virtually all guild members belonged to the Pyongyang Guild.
No one answered, but Choi Kang-mok didn’t mind.
What mattered to me was the newly unlocked ability.
When you get new shoes, you have to wear them; when you buy a new car, you have to drive it.
When you gain a new ability, it’s only natural to use it.
-Master Mayo, I’m ready 🙂

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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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