The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 84

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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 084
By now, hardly anyone denied the very existence of EX-Rank Awakeners.
Even China and Europe, which classified EX-Rank individuals as “national-level threats,” were no exception.
Most had shifted their focus from denying existence to downplaying their abilities.
What was surprising was that quite a few Koreans had jumped on this bandwagon as well.
[Honestly, EX-Rank probably isn’t that strong, right?]
└According to the London Research Institute’s report, clearing the Labyrinth is essential before entering the higher Tower floors
└But EX-Rank isn’t even on the Labyrinth rankings. Why?
Just can’t break through it. Let’s go for real.
The domestic Labyrinth rankings display the top 300.
[Mock battles are whatever. Tower is whatever. But the Labyrinth? Totally different]
└Being good at soccer doesn’t mean you’re good at baseball
└Being good at soccer doesn’t mean you’re good at baseball (2nd time)
└Check out the Seoul Labyrinth rankings (photo attached)
───────
[Labyrinth (Seoul) Hall of Fame – 10 Stages]
[South Korea] [City]
1. Ulsan
2. Jeju
…
7. Seoul
───────
[Most of the domestic individual rankings are also players from Ulsan and Jeju]
└For real, there aren’t many Seoul players
└Seoul players have been in good form lately though
└That’s only in the Tower though
└At this point, it’s definitely a matchup issue. If you disagree, I’m right.
The Labyrinth is a two-way stronghold between Ulsan and Jeju lol
└Don’t forget that Seoul was the lowest in the country before EX-Rank appeared
└Since EX-Rank can’t perform in the Labyrinth, Seoul gets buried too
Rather, it was Christine, a foreigner, who scoffed.
“Seoul is in the middle of Tower conquest. They’re busy, you know.”
It was true that Ulsan and Jeju stood out in the Labyrinth.
But that was precisely because they had fallen one step behind in the Tower race.
Modern civilization is Tower civilization.
Labyrinth or whatever else—ultimately, Tower conquest is what matters most.
The Tower is the main event, and the Labyrinth is a side quest.
Seoul was pouring all its resources into Tower conquest, while Ulsan and Jeju were dedicating their full strength to the Golden Labyrinth.
Christine picked up her phone and began typing with her thumb.
[You blockheads, Seoul is focused on the Tower. The EX-Rank Awakener has been busy lately.]
└Ugh~ EX mom’s logged in~
└How much does Seoul pay for part-time work?
Found you, you bastard lol
Even EXO is having communication issues lol
“Damn these bastards!”
Christine nearly incinerated her phone.
What nonsense were they spouting?
Just then, a notification chimed.
[Labyrinth Warrior – Server-wide Announcement!]
Labyrinth Warrior.
A title bestowed upon any Awakened who had entered the Labyrinth even once, whether in Seoul or London.
[Labyrinth Stage 1 cleared at EX-rank!]
“Huh?”
When EX-rank was mentioned, one person came to mind.
Christine quickly began scrolling through SNS.
Surely someone had posted a screenshot of the Hall of Fame by now….
[Labyrinth Stage 2 cleared at EX-rank!]
“Not even five seconds passed?”
The photo still hadn’t been uploaded.
[Labyrinth Stage 3 cleared at EX-rank!]
[Labyrinth Stage 4 cleared at EX-rank!]
[Labyrinth Stage 5 cleared at EX-rank!]
“I still haven’t seen the photo!”
But it didn’t matter.
The person himself would emerge soon enough.
When she stepped into the living room, Kang Hye was already bouncing on her feet, waiting for Choi Kang-mok to return.
“Kang Hye, you heard too, right?”
“Yes…!”
In fact, Kang Hye had also been paying attention to recent public opinion.
Comments like: Just because you climb the Tower well doesn’t mean you can clear the Labyrinth.
And: Even EX-rank Awakened have limits, proof is needed.
“You saw the Labyrinth Warrior announcement too, right?”
“Yeah. But why hasn’t he….”
[Labyrinth Stage 6 cleared at EX-rank!]
The two women locked eyes.
And tilted their heads in similar confusion.
“We’re not mistaken, are we?”
“I definitely saw it too.”
The Labyrinth had a daily clear limit capped at five stages.
“We didn’t misread it, did we?”
“I saw it too.”
[Labyrinth Stage 7 cleared with EX-rank rating.]
“….”
“….”
[Labyrinth Stage 8 cleared with EX-rank rating.]
[Labyrinth Stage 9 cleared with EX-rank rating.]
[Labyrinth Stage 10 cleared with EX-rank rating.]
Christine was the first to regain her composure.
“That absolute madman.”
She barely suppressed a burst of laughter and shook her head.
That’s what my master should be. This is the standard for an EX-rank Awakened.
Christine’s fingers danced across her device.
[What? Tower specialist? Where are all those bastards who said he only clears the Tower well? Laugh about it laugh about it laugh about it laugh]
At that moment, London Sovereign Foster received a call.
“Ugh, I’m busy. Yes, hello?”
Christine quickly explained.
Excited and breathless, Christine fired away her words.
“That’s right! Not 5 consecutive clears—10 consecutive EX-rank clears! I’m waiting for him to exit right now. Pride is welling up from my toes… Anyway, let’s talk about this later.”
“What? Why hasn’t he come out yet?”

* * *
10 consecutive SKIPs were recognized as 10 consecutive EX-rank clears.
“Is this even allowed?”
-Consecutive EX clears. A legitimate result.
-Records always follow proof more slowly than proof follows records, yet the user’s record and proof arrive simultaneously.
We
are delighted.
The Golden Labyrinth is a type of “Orb-specialized dungeon.”
A special zone where one can acquire vast quantities of “Orbs,” high-level growth materials.
[For clearing Stage 1 with EX-rank rating, you receive ‘Orb Gem’ as a reward.]
….
[For clearing Stage 10 with EX-rank rating, you receive ‘Orb Gem’ as a reward.]
A diamond-shaped gem glowing with violet light was granted.
───────
[Orb Gem]
A gem containing the quantity of Orbs needed for leveling up.
───────
The higher the level, the more severe the inflation of growth materials becomes.
This reward was invaluably useful.
[Daily SKIP limit has been reached.]
The SKIP limit was capped at ten uses.
[10 Consecutive EX-Rank Stage Clears!]
[Special Stage Unlocked!]
“Huh….”
[Entering Special Stage (1).]
A new space with no prior information.
I extended my aura sense to grasp the spatial structure.
‘The difficulty itself isn’t particularly high.’
A familiar sensation.
Once you comprehend a space’s structure, you can gauge its difficulty to a reasonable degree.
Simple structures typically indicate easier difficulty tiers.
“The structure is simple, but sturdy.”
A place enclosed by thick walls.
I could roughly estimate the durability of these walls.
“Similar strength to the Reconstruction Layer.”
If anything, it resembled the 4th Floor.
Not particularly difficult, yet more solid than any other layer.
“If the Tower and Labyrinth share some connection, could this have been influenced by the Reconstruction Layer?”
The spatial analysis was complete.
Some distance ahead.
A massive black boulder came into view.
“Doesn’t seem to be a monster.”
As I drew closer, the boulder’s name revealed itself: ‘The Unbreakable Stone’.
───────
[The Unbreakable Stone]
A stone composed of clichés from this territorial domain (South Korea).
Your clear rank is determined by how much damage you inscribe upon the stone.
Type: Dummy
───────
Unbreakable, they called it.
An intriguing name indeed.
[Challenge: Strike the Unbreakable Stone and record damage.]
[※If minimum damage threshold is not met, stage exit becomes impossible.※]
I grimaced slightly.
“This warrants a proper warning, doesn’t it?”
I had no idea what the minimum damage threshold was.
So if I failed to meet it, I couldn’t leave?
That meant starving to death here.
“I’m not sure if this stage opened only for me or if others can enter as well….”
I sent a system message to Lee Byung-gyu, the Seoul Sovereign.
The email shared the challenge details and warned against recklessly attempting the Special Stage.
[Mail transmission failed.]
Just like inside the Tower, sending mail was impossible here.
“Traces, then….”
Energy bolts I’d grown accustomed to wielding?
High-tier spirits with devastating single-hit damage?
“This place has the same intensity as the Reconstruction Layer.”
I made my decision.
I’d been continuing my magical training all this time.
“If I grant penetration properties to high-tier spirits….”
From here on, the difficulty would skyrocket exponentially.
High-tier spirits were a higher-grade magic than legendary-rank evil spirits.
It was naturally far more difficult than handling beginner-level magic.
On top of that, I’d apply the combat specialist mage effect and the double-multiplier talisman effect.
“Still, since my opponent won’t move, landing hits should be straightforward.”
I steeled my resolve.
“Mayo, are you ready?”
–
Our
preparations were completed long ago. 🙂
“My intellect increased by 5, right? You know that?”
-Of course I know. I’m making preparations… as thoroughly as possible.
-But countering your magic isn’t something mere preparation will solve.
Choi Kang-mok closed his eyes and prepared as well.
How the magic fragments would scatter. How the rock fragments would be ejected.
There was no cover here.
“I’m ready to use Blink.”
I verified Blink and invulnerability.
I checked Mayo’s Pocket Dimension one more time.
“Mayo, focus on intercepting the magic fragments.”
-Yes, standing by for interception.
–
For
us.
‘I’ll have to intercept some of the fragments heading my way myself.’
I’d been continuously practicing mana pressure shape control.
If I fired energy bolts and adjusted the mana pressure as a shield-like barrier to release it?
I might not be able to block magic fragments, but I could block rock fragments.
Preparations were complete.
I’d run through many simulations in my mind.
[Activating Skill: High Spirit (SSS+).]
Spirits of various attributes surged toward the boulder.
The spirits tore into the rock with relentless fury.
Crimson damage numbers erupted continuously above the boulder.
-999,999,999,999
-999,999,999,999
….
-999,999,999,999
-999,999,999,999
Before I could even process the damage, space itself detonated.
‘Blink!’
A desperate evasion maneuver, aided by the active assistance of my Thundersteed Combat Boots!
[Thundersteed Combat Boots effect applied.]
Distance +2
Uses +2
I activated Blink consecutively.
‘Blink! Blink!’
‘Invincibility!’
Invincibility unfurled only in this critical moment.
[Clear rank….]
I couldn’t hear anything more.
It resembled the epicenter of a massive earthquake, with a tsunami of destruction crashing down.
I had to escape this maelstrom of countless fragments colliding through the air.
Tremors, explosions, debris.
From within that chaos, Choi Kang-mok shouted.
“Retreat!”
I hadn’t even confirmed the clear rank.
Escaping took absolute priority.
“Oh, big brother! Are you alright?”
Kang Hye supported the exhausted Choi Kang-mok.
Christine confirmed the clear rank through the internet.

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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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