The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 78

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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 078
The visit of North Korea’s supreme leader to South Korea.
Its symbolic significance far surpassed the London Sovereign Foster incident.
The entire world’s attention turned to Seoul, and South Korea’s internet erupted in flames.
[Does this mean reunification now?]
└Seriously, I think the EX-rank Awakener deserves the Nobel Peace Prize
└Wait, is it really true that they captured all the North Korean forces without a single scratch?
└How in the world did they manage to end it with ‘not a single person injured’?
Just suck it moderately lol, it’s totally unrealistic
└EX exclusive ability: Human rights protection arrest magic ㄷㄷ
The entire nation’s attention was focused on Lee Tae-gwang.
Rather, every time the vehicle carrying him passed through Seoul’s downtown, live broadcasts continued without interruption.
And, quietly, unknown to anyone else.
A system window appeared in Lee Tae-gwang’s vision.
‘I’ve arrived.’
The real objective begins now.
Lee Tae-gwang, an Occupation Sovereign (SSS-rank).
His unique ability was to declare a ‘conquest war’ against the Tower in another city.
However, there was only one prerequisite condition.
‘Entry into enemy territory.’
[You may declare a conquest war for Seoul Tower.]
[Will you declare a conquest war for Seoul Tower?]
“Declare it.”
This was Lee Tae-gwang’s hidden claw.
[!Seoul Territory-wide Announcement!]
[A conquest war for Seoul Tower has been declared!]

* * *
The moment the truth of the Tunneler Project was exposed, Pyongyang lost its justification.
And Lee Tae-gwang knew it precisely.
‘If I give ground even slightly more, it’s over.’
If I cannot stop this current momentum, the name Lee Tae-gwang and the city of Pyongyang will soon lose their presence from the world map.
Yet he remained composed.
Extreme crises demand extreme remedies.
‘Isn’t power the most important thing in international society?’
What if Seoul were placed under Pyongyang’s dominion?
And what if I inherited the EX-rank Awakening?
It would only take time—eventually, everyone would have no choice but to stand on my side.
By the merciless logic of power.
A Seoul announcement followed.
[The Tower Occupation War will be conducted as a ‘mock battle.’]
[The victorious side will occupy the defeated side’s Tower.]
The Occupation Sovereign claims the Tower through the mock battle.
[During the Occupation War, the Occupation Sovereign’s stats will increase dramatically.]
I had no doubt.
No doubt that I would lose the mock battle.
[During the Occupation War, the Occupation Sovereign’s class will be temporarily changed.]
Shin Young-chul had demonstrated his loyalty by providing invaluable intelligence.
Information that the opponent was an Artifact Fighter.
My mock battle was essentially an information war.
[Activating the Occupation Sovereign’s sub-class, ‘Artifact Nullifier.’]
The counter was ready.
Neutralizing the opponent’s weapons was the essence of the mock battle.
Everything proceeded according to plan.
[The mock battle will commence in 24 hours.]
[The designated Guild (Seoul) must nominate a mock battle opponent for the Occupation War.]
‘Seoul can only field an EX-rank Awakener.’
Limited to Asia, the Pyongyang Guild was first-tier.
And within that Pyongyang Guild, there existed no player capable of defeating me through an ‘Occupation mock battle.’
I had grown through mock battles and conquered other cities’ Towers via mock battles—I was a veteran of this arena.
[Until entering the Occupation War, the Occupation Sovereign is protected with invulnerability.]
‘The revolutionary operation is unfolding precisely as designed.’
Yet something felt wrong.
Currently, I was in a car heading toward Seoul.
Han Sang-hyun, the executive director of the Seoul Guild sitting in the front seat, showed no particular reaction.
‘Why is there no reaction?’
The announcement should have reached everyone across Seoul’s jurisdiction.
Was he trying to hide his panic?
It didn’t matter. The future was already written.
Lee Tae-gwang smiled wickedly.
“A new era of Juche revolution shall arrive.”
The image of North Korea, with Seoul under its dominion and expanding internationally, unfolded in his mind.
He set the broadcast region for the Tower Occupation War.
[Preview Service!]
[Tower Occupation Wars are being broadcast live across all Earth region Towers.]
People from around the world gathered at the Towers in each city.
“What is that?”
“What’s written on the Tower?”
Every Tower on Earth had become a massive display screen.
Enormous letters and a timer materialized on the walls.
[Tower Occupation War: Seoul vs. Pyongyang]
[23:22:14]
Approximately 23 hours remained.

* * *
Seoul Guild Headquarters. Choi Kang-mok’s private quarters.
I marveled at the intelligence capabilities of the Boddari Union.
“So you really did have the ability to declare an Occupation War.”
Lee Byung-gyu responded.
“Yes, only high-ranking officials in China knew about it quietly.”
Lee Byung-gyu had obtained Lee Tae-gwang’s job information through the Boddari Union.
Thanks to that, it was possible to predict from the moment Lee Tae-gwang wanted to enter Korea with nothing but his bare hands.
He’s aiming for an Occupation War—that much was clear.
Even if Lee Tae-gwang had truly come to apologize, that would have been fine too.
“I appreciate your trust despite having only three victories.”
“There’s no choice but to trust you.”
Those three victories were against Lee Kang-nam and Christine.
Lee Kang-nam and Christine—opponents with drastically different personalities and combat styles—defeated through entirely different methods.
‘Lee Kang-nam was beaten through sheer damage output, Christine through magic, and Han Sang-hyun through a Pocket Dimension.’
Even without a high level, an EX-Rank Awakener was already beyond standard specifications.
“It’s embarrassing to admit, but you are currently the Seoul Guild’s strongest combatant.”
….
My face flushed slightly.
Lee Byung-gyu, as a first-generation Awakener, was someone who knew well about Strongtree, who had once mocked battle mages while intoxicated on magical prowess.
“Every simulation I ran showed no possibility of defeat.”
International attention was focused intently.
The Seoul Guild and the EX-Rank Awakener had to prove themselves.
A fitting punishment.
Otherwise, we would be looked down upon.
“Show the world what happens now.”
The world needed to see it.
What becomes of those who covet EX-Rank Awakening.
“Congratulations on your world stage debut.”
Beyond the window.
The silhouette of Seoul Tower loomed in the distance.
Already, several broadcast helicopters circled the Tower’s perimeter.
The world was watching Seoul now.

* * *
Fourteen hours remained until the Territory War.
Kim Chul-in, an executive of the Boddari Union, visited the An House.
“My apologies for the late arrival.”
Christine and Lee Kang-nam were already inside.
They shared a common thread.
Both had sparred against EX-Rank Awakener Choi Kang-mok and suffered crushing defeats.
“Brother, is it true you obtained footage of Lee Tae-gwang’s Territory War?”
“Yes. We acquired it with great difficulty through channels in China.”
“Wow, the Boddari Union really delivers.”
“I’ll show you immediately.”
The footage began to play.
In the first scene, Lee Tae-gwang was a bare-knuckle fighter.
He subdued his opponent using only the disciplined movements of his hands, feet, and body.
Restrained form. Refined strikes.
Christine marveled aloud.
“He fights far better than I expected? At that level, he’d be top-tier in London or higher. That’s strange. Can a Sovereign really fight that well?”
Lee Kang-nam’s brow furrowed as well.
“Must be a Dual Class.”
“Next footage.”
In the next clip, Lee Tae-gwang fought like a seasoned assassin.
He overwhelmed his opponent with speed to exploit their sluggish movements.
“As you can see in the footage, he fought utilizing a short sword.”
“Hmm.”
The next footage was peculiar.
The moment the Territory War began, Lee Tae-gwang transformed into a colossal slime.
Lee Kang-nam’s eyes widened.
“Wait. I know what that is.”
Giant Slime Transformation.
It’s a technique used by several tank-type Awakeners.
“That’s an Artifact Counter.”
“Correct. That’s what we’ve determined as well.”
Choi Kang-mok tilted his head.
“Artifact Counter?”
“Yeah. What? You don’t know?”
“Not really.”
“Hmm… Those pampered nobles who rely solely on gear for combat would know, right?”
For a moment, Choi Kang-mok flinched.
Come to think of it, wasn’t his subjugation of the Pyongyang Guild members entirely thanks to Mayo?
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he’d essentially fought using artifacts.
“Why does that make them pampered?”
“Because they’re not true warriors?”
Lee Kang-nam’s logic was that abandoning personal cultivation and fighting solely with artifacts was unbecoming of a true warrior.
“That massive slime is their counter. Once it takes that form, it neutralizes most artifact attacks.”
In other words, it’s immune to artifact attacks.
Kim Chul-in corrected him.
“To be precise, it’s absorption and accumulation.”
“Absorption and accumulation?”
“Yes. Rather than neutralizing the damage, it accumulates it within the slime’s body. Subsequently, it triggers an explosion using the golem’s core, unleashing a burst attack on the opponent. According to witnesses, the damage is beyond imagination.”
Kim Chul-in gazed at Choi Kang-mok with a worried expression.
“As you can see, it possesses diverse abilities. We estimate it can prepare counters depending on the opponent.”
“That would make sense.”
There’s no way they’d attempt something like this without that level of confidence.
“Beyond this, it’s difficult to determine precisely what other abilities it might possess.”
Kim Chul-in’s face was filled with concern.
Worry for Strongtree weighed heavily upon him.
Christine spoke.
“Listen, you’re not worried about Strongtree, are you?”
“Christine. Didn’t you witness it yourself? Lee Tae-gwang’s unpredictable transformations and unconventional techniques….”
Lee Kang-nam shook his head.
“Technique is useless before overwhelming power.”
“What?”
Christine and Lee Kang-nam.
They were both victims of it.
‘You too?’
‘You as well?’
An inexplicable sense of shared suffering washed over them.

* * *
[Time Remaining Until Tower Occupation War Begins]
[00:10:00]
People from all around the world gathered before the Tower.
Ten minutes until the occupation war.
A magnificent video played across the Tower, which had become a massive display screen.
“What is that?”
“Oh, looks like combat footage?”
“The quality is insane?”
The screen was filled with a promotional video from the Pyongyang Guild.
Disciplined forces, highly trained elite Awakeners.
A colossal Tower emerging from darkness. Standing before it, a single man—Lee Tae-gwang.
The production was remarkably grandiose.
Soon, a woman dressed in traditional Korean attire appeared on screen.
Her accent was somewhat unfamiliar, but her message was unmistakable.
“Before the extraordinary leadership and boundless might of our great leader Lee Tae-gwang, the EX-rank Awakener of South Korea shall inevitably kneel and acknowledge a humiliating defeat!”
Three minutes remained until the Tower occupation war began.
“Now! The historic Seoul Expedition Battle between the shameless and cowardly artifact fighter and our great leader Lee Tae-gwang begins!”
One minute before the Tower occupation war started.
A notification reached Choi Kang-mok.
[Entering Tower Occupation War.]
[Occupation War Field: Seoul Tower 5th Floor]
The floor where the mid-boss, the obese slime, appeared.
A field directly configured by Lee Tae-gwang for this battle.
Artifact fighter(?)
I entered Seoul Tower’s 5th Floor.

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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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