The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 8

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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 008
Every five floors of the Tower, a mid-tier boss appears.
Though it’s still the tutorial section, nothing impressive—just a chubby slime that serves as the mid-tier boss.
It possesses far superior defensive capabilities compared to ordinary slimes and attacks from range by spitting.
According to those who’ve been hit, the sensation is roughly equivalent to being struck by a children’s airsoft gun.
‘Dispatch it as quickly as possible.’
Somehow I’ve been cultivating myself purely as a combat mage, but right now there’s no other choice.
In the future, I’ll be able to master many more disciplines.
[You have entered Seoul Tower Floor 5.]
[Experience accumulated from the previous floor carries over.]
[Level-up cannot exceed twice the floor number of the Tower you are clearing.]
Upon entry, my level jumped to 10.
[Current Level: 10]
[!!!]
[A mid-tier boss appears!]
[Challenge: Defeat the chubby slime!]
I gazed upon the chubby slime, far larger in size than an ordinary slime.
‘Only one chance.’
The dummy burst in a single strike.
The chubby slime will naturally go down in one hit as well.
‘Abandon precise compression. Focus entirely on imbuing penetration properties!’
One step at a time.
I ascend the stairs methodically.
The instant my magic touches the chubby slime.
I must split that fleeting moment and concentrate, intuitively researching how to imbue the penetration property.
Roughly one second as the magic and slime collide.
That single second is the window of opportunity to observe.
[Skill Energy Bolt (S) is activated.]
Crackle!
The instant Energy Bolt touches the slime’s body—that’s the opportunity!
‘Perfect. It’s about to connect!’
I pushed my concentration to its absolute limit.
Watching the timing.
I even felt the illusion that time was flowing slowly.
‘I can see it…!’
[You have defeated the chubby slime.]
It didn’t even touch it?
The chubby slime scattered like water droplets struck by a strong wind, dispersing backward.
[Congratulations!]
[Seoul Tower Floor 5 has been cleared with an EX-Rank rating.]
Clearing the 5th floor universally activates a slot that allows one to equip an ‘amulet.’
[Amulet slot has been activated.]
[Exiting the Tower.]
I returned to reality.
“….”
Choi Kang-mok’s expression grew serious.
The research on imbuing penetration properties had failed at the observation stage.
“There was no contact at all, yet it shattered.”
Last time, the fragments were the problem.
But this time?
The fragments didn’t even touch.
Damage had been applied in a non-contact state.
Great research and discoveries often begin by chance.
“…Actually, this is better.”
I had discovered a valuable research topic.
Everything was proceeding as planned.

* * *
Five consecutive EX-rank clears.
As a result, five amulet fragments had been completed.
‘I didn’t expect to do consecutive EX-ranks.’
Amulet synthesis—something everyone did—yet my hands trembled.
This would be my first EX-rank synthesis.
Of course, synthesizing EX-rank amulet fragments didn’t guarantee an EX-rank result.
The concept was that an amulet of EX-rank or lower could emerge.
‘If I’m lucky, an EX-rank might come out.’
Half anticipation, half excitement.
I joined the amulet fragments together, each divided into interlocking shapes.
[Amulet fragments are being synthesized.]
Choi Kang-mok knelt reverently.
Before confirming the amulet’s effect—a common ritual among all Awakeners.
The rumor was rampant: kneel before checking the amulet, and something good will appear.
Since it was an early-stage amulet, I didn’t expect anything extraordinary.
Yet anticipation was unavoidable.
‘Please!’
I grasped the amulet with trembling hands.
‘Something good!’
Carefully, I checked its effect.
───────
[Double Multiplier Amulet]
Rank: EX
The number of offensive skills increases by 2x.
Applied immediately upon acquisition, regardless of slot availability.
───────
‘Huh?’
Talismans themselves are extremely common items.
Artifacts that support Awakeners with various effects.
However, the general consensus is that their effects fall short of true artifacts.
For instance, ordinary armor far surpasses rare defensive talismans in defensive power.
‘Doubled?’
Was there an artifact that increased the number of offensive skills by two times?
To my knowledge, there wasn’t.
[It applies immediately upon acquisition, regardless of slot availability.]
An EX-rank talisman was truly different in every way.
It equips and applies even without an empty slot.
[The number of all offensive skills increases by 2x.]
Still, this talisman presented quite the challenge for Choi Kang-mok.
‘I really need to be careful with this one.’
A single spell was already demanding—now I’d be casting two of them.
The subjective burden felt quadrupled.
My eyes grew serious and focused.
“I might need to raise my agility further.”
When could I increase my intelligence?

* * *
Eight lords were searching for the EX seat with eyes blazing.
In the midst of this, the Incheon Lord took decisive action.
[What? The Incheon Lord openly sends love call (article attached)]
└? How is this being handled like this?
└Wow, isn’t this completely disrespecting Seoul?
└LOL I can hear the sound of the Seoul monarch shaking all the way from here.
“They offered 5 billion won in salary alone lol”
└Wow 50 billion? Is this real?
└City that owns the Gwangsan Gate lol Money to burn for sure lol
If you were to name the Tower’s conquest depth and the “quality” of players, Daegu and Busan were currently the best.
However, if you were to name “who is the richest,” it was Incheon.
Multiple mining-type Gates were positioned within the Incheon region.
High-quality mana stone mining was being conducted there.
Incheon was currently the most economically wealthy among the eight Tower cities.
Even so, 5 billion won is a bit much lol
└Doesn’t the top salary earner at Seoul Tower not even receive 10 billion?
He’s throwing 5 times the amount at the prospect lol
“Hmm….”
Choi Kang-mok saw the article too.
“A salary of 50 billion?”
It was certainly an appealing offer.
With 50 billion, I could obtain a solid magical laboratory and purchase materials.
I could probably acquire most mage items, including quality armor.
In any case, being a mage is a profession that requires substantial funds.
[There are plans for active cooperation in climbing Seoul Tower in case of emergency….]
“It’s genuinely extraordinary.”
Guild members are the Guild’s treasure. They are the Tower’s assets.
One doesn’t easily lend them out for climbing other city Towers.
If they get injured or go missing? It’s too great a loss for the Guild.
‘The conditions are too good… but I’m too naive.’
Right now, I can’t trust anyone except family.
Even a slingshot shot from afar would be the end of me.
The age of the Awakened.
Even presidents worry about assassination.
I could suffer shock death from shaking hands or embracing a high-level ranker.
‘The world outside the blanket is dangerous.’
This was still the time to remain hidden.

* * *
‘Let me check out some armor.’
Standard shop armor rarely offered impressive performance.
The mage set I’m currently wearing is the best I have.
‘The EX Shop.’
There might be something extraordinary there.
‘Huh?’
The fifth floor’s category.
An item caught my eye immediately.
───────
[EX Shop]
[Floor 5] [Mage Series]
1. Spellbook, ‘Invincibility’—5 EX Points
───────
“Invincibility?”
───────
[Spellbook—Invincibility]
Learn the defensive magic ‘Invincibility’.
───────
‘Invincibility’ was a skill I knew intimately.
Upon exiting the Tower, I entered an invincible state for approximately thirty seconds.
For those thirty seconds, I could withstand even a meteor shower.
‘Can this actually be implemented as magic?’
I couldn’t resist.
Click.
[Insufficient EX Points.]
Click.
[Insufficient EX Points.]
I knew it.
I was one EX Point short.
Click.
[Insufficient EX Points.]
It wouldn’t work, but I kept pressing anyway.
After all, what mattered was an unbreakable spirit.
Click. Click. Click.
Multiple attempts proved futile.
What mattered wasn’t an unbreakable spirit—it was ammunition in the form of EX Points.
To obtain this, I’d need to clear one more floor.
‘I wish tomorrow would come faster.’
[!]
[You have unread mail.]
‘Hm?’
I opened the system mailbox.
[Achievement, ‘Cleared EX 5 Times in a Row’ reward has arrived!]
[5 EX Points]
[Will you claim the reward?]
“Uh…?”
After all, what truly mattered was an unbreakable spirit.
I was fortunate.
[Claiming 5 EX Points.]
[Purchasing Spellbook, ‘Invincibility’.]
[Will you learn ‘Invincibility’ by using the Spellbook, ‘Invincibility’?]
I decided to acquire it right away.
I swallowed hard, wondering what rank would appear.
[You have acquired Skill, Invincibility (S).]
───────
[Invincibility (Growth-type)]
Rank: S
Upon activation, enter an invincible state for 1 second.
Perfect resistance to all physical and non-physical damage.
Cooldown: 24 hours
───────
“Wow….”
Fifteen years of grueling hardship rewarded like this.
An S-rank had appeared again, following Energy Bolt.
And it was even growth-type.
‘I want to use it right now, but I should restrain myself.’
The cooldown was a full 24 hours.
I decided to use it effectively once I entered the Tower.
Time crawled by.
24 hours had passed.
[You have entered Seoul Tower, Floor 6.]
Entering Seoul Tower Floor 6.
[Experience accumulated from the previous floor carries over.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Level-up cannot exceed twice the level of the cleared floor.]
[Current Level: 12]
This floor spawned cockroach-shaped monsters.
They weren’t particularly strong, but overcoming the revulsion they inspired was the true challenge.
[Challenge: Defeat 5 Giant Wheels!]
Compared to the bloated slimes, their defense was weaker, but their speed was far superior.
Which made them all the more threatening to me.
If those long tentacles pierced me?
‘I’d die instantly.’
Every moment was a succession of extreme trials.
I had to focus.
First priority was attacking from as great a distance as possible.
And naturally, I had to aim for an EX Clear.
‘There are two things I need to research.’
First, penetration.
Second, that bizarre phenomenon where they explode and die without even being touched—non-contact destruction.
‘I’ll have to postpone practicing penetration for now.’
They explode and die before I can even touch them.
Researching penetration is impossible under these circumstances.
‘I’ll investigate non-contact destruction first.’
This was closer to observation than practice.
I just needed to watch carefully.
One step at a time, starting with the easier task.
‘If I use invincibility at the right moment….’
I could safely observe for at least one second.
The plan was flawless.

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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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