The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 86

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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 086
[Will you open the 3rd Floor and 4th Floor of the Ayla Advanced Research Institute?]
“It’s a shame I can’t use them separately.”
Since it was marked as ‘2-Stage’, I had to use it all at once.
‘Might as well.’
Any respectable mage should never hesitate to invest in magical facilities.
It absolutely wasn’t because Shenyang was getting on my nerves. Absolutely not.
[The 3rd Floor has been opened.]
[The 4th Floor has been opened.]
Color bloomed across the ashen space, and escalators and elevators began to operate.
The 3rd Floor was designated as the Advanced Mage Zone.
The 4th Floor was set as the Professor-Rank Mage Zone.
[Will you hire magical personnel?]
[Available Mages for Hire: Apprentice, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Professor-Rank]
“Huh?”
I could now hire mages across all tiers, from apprentice to professor.
The institute was finally starting to look like a proper research facility.
‘Advanced mages cost 300 million per tier? Professor-rank mages 500 million?’
The figures were dizzying, but it was manageable.
My daily earnings as Choi Kang-mok ranged from 100 to 200 billion.
If necessary, I could always seek investments from Saudi Arabia or New York.
A mocking whisper brushed past my ear.
-Your house doesn’t have a professor, does it?
“My house has a professor too, you bastards.”
[Hiring a Professor-Rank Mage.]
But then, an unexpected notification followed.
[!Considering the current server level, Professor-Rank Mage dispatch is limited to 1 person!]
[A recruitment offer is being sent to the Professor-Rank Mage.]
“Oh?”
And a few seconds later.
[Professor-Rank Mage Raymond accepts the position transfer to the Ayla Advanced Research Institute.]
Simultaneously, a peculiar message arrived in the Shenyang region.
[The Graduate School is being closed due to the professor’s personal circumstances.]

* * *
The lords of Shenyang found themselves in dire straits.
“Why was the graduate school shut down?!”
“What is this…!”
[Breaking News] Professor Raymond makes sudden transfer to Ayla Research Institute…]
Xi Yun, the lord of Shenyang, could barely contain his fury.
The Magic Graduate School—their golden goose for the next generation—had vanished.
First they lost teaching assistants, and now even professors were being stripped away.
“Damn bastards! How are we supposed to function without our professors?!”
“….”
The subordinate lords said nothing.
They were men who couldn’t even handle teaching assistants with impunity.
Much less a professor-rank mage with an estimated level in the 190s.
Coercion, pressure, threats—none of it worked.
Intimidation, persuasion, military force—nothing worked.
But that wasn’t even the worst of it.
An ultimatum had arrived from the Beijing Guild.
—Resolve this within a week, or we’re withdrawing all investment.
“Damn it!”
Xi Yun slammed his fist on the table with a resounding crack.
From the mana barrier incident to the graduate school closure.
Whenever the EX-rank Awakener became entangled with Seoul, everything spiraled into catastrophe.
“If that’s how it is, we destroy the research institute.”
If I cannot have it, then no one else will.
“Does anyone object?”
“….”
No one did. Of course they didn’t.
The moment anyone dared suggest, “Isn’t that a bit too extreme?” they’d lose their position as subordinate lord.
“We have no choice.”
“We cannot afford to fall behind.”
We’ve already fallen out of Beijing’s favor.
That meant national support was impossible.
There could be only one magical stronghold on Earth.
“Initiate Operation Arcane.”

* * *
The Ayla Advanced Research Institute.
Though limited to first-time visitors, it was a place of opportunity that boosted intellect the moment you stepped inside.
Among the countless mages worldwide, only a handful could travel to Pyongyang.
Only foreign mages and Korean mages who had obtained permission from the EX-rank Awakener flooded into the Ayla Advanced Research Institute.
“What? The 3rd Floor is open!”
The escalator regained its color and operated normally.
The 4th Floor remained off-limits to unauthorized personnel, but the 3rd Floor alone felt like stepping into a new world.
Mages roamed the 3rd Floor, mining for new information.
[Advanced mages on 3rd Floor. They hand out Quests]
└What kind of quests?
└Usually grunt work lol Mostly gathering-type stuff
└They make you run errands for their research. Legit just busywork quests
The Quests were tedious and annoying, but the rewards were surprisingly generous.
───────
[Got a Quest from this hairy old dude and it’s actually insane]
I did a few chores for him in this musty-smelling room, right?
And then out of nowhere he’s like “I found this lying around” and just tosses me a staff.
I thought it was just trash loot, but check this out.
(photo attached)
Rare grade lmao I’m actually in love with this hairy old dude now
└A staff lmaooo was it really just found lying around
└I wanna go to Korea too 🙁
└EX hyung please give us a visa….
───────
───────
[White underwear + rooster mask mage is absolutely cracked]
Legit thought he was a pervert at first lol (okay he is)
But when I said I couldn’t use magic, he taught me super patiently
My proficiency is rising in real-time
My magic proficiency is literally going up as we speak
└White underwear and rooster mask sounds like peak degeneracy
└Feels like I’m a total newbie again
└Veterans liking newbies is just normal stuff
└Yeah veterans get off on recruiting newbies lol
───────
Some gained higher enhancement success rates; others obtained rare spell tomes.
All these testimonies evolved from verification posts into hymns of praise.
[Magic Graduate School <<< Ayla Research Institute (no comparison)]
└They make you grind for 4 years there but here you get results in 4 days lol absolute steal
└No tuition fees and it's a blast
└Downside: Can't enter without EX hyung's permission
└Honestly, that's not a downside? That guarantees quality lol
While Seoul drew miners,
Pyongyang gathered mages.
[Pyongyang is literally packed lol (photo)]
└Are all of those mages?
└Nah they're aspiring mages lol The real mages are super rare
└Does everyone who wants to become a mage just become one?
In the midst of it all, Grand Mage Christine was spotted in Pyongyang.
"Huh? It's Christine!"
"Wow. Is the real thing really this beautiful?"
Pyongyang and Christine.
This strange combination drew countless eyes.
Christine's sudden visit further elevated the status of the Ayla Advanced Research Institute.
By the way, the person who brought Christine was Kang Hye.
"Unnie, the attention is insane."
"If you can't avoid it, enjoy it."
Either way, the two entered the Ayla Advanced Research Institute.
[Welcome to your first visit.]
[First-time visitor benefits have been granted.]
[Intelligence +4]
"Wow, is this for real?"
"Unnie, where on earth do you pick up these phrases?"
"It was trending in the community I'm in?"
"What kind of community is that…."
The vocabulary this English woman wielded was far from ordinary.
"But you're an Explorer—how did you get in?"
"I'm staff, so…."
"Kyaa!"
Christine patted Kang Hye's back enthusiastically.
"As expected, among academic connections, regional ties, and blood relations, the supreme king is definitely blood relations."
"…Did you just say supreme king?"
"Yeah. Saw it in the community."
I was at a loss for words.
But it wasn't wrong either, so there was nothing to say.
Having experienced it firsthand, blood relations are absolute. She was right. I had no choice but to accept it.
"Remember this, Hye."
"Yes?"
"Other people's blood relations are unfair, but my blood relations are absolutely awesome."
"…Follow me."
Kang Hye grasped Christine's collar and led her forward.
"But the escalator here is stopped?"
"I can activate it with this."
Before the sealed escalator.
Kang Hye swiped the 'Helper's Scroll'.
[Entering Ayla Advanced Research Institute, 4th Floor.]
The 4th floor was different from the others.
Quiet, sparse, and eerily vacant.
At the far end, a man was tearing at his hair.
"Who is that person?"
"Apparently it's Professor Raymond. He says not to bother him because he's busy."
"Why?"
"He said if you talk to him, you'll feel the pain of stubbing your pinky toe on a doorframe. For three hours."
"…Is he a psychopath or something?"
Kang Hye and Christine took a few more steps forward.
"Huh?"
"Do you feel something?"
"There seems to be a magic circle here?"
"Right. He said there's something he absolutely has to test on you with this. He said you'd love it?"
"What is it?"
"You haven't heard anything about it from Choi Kang-mok yet, right?"
"No."
And in that moment.
Someone burst out from behind the wall.
"Ah, you scared me!!"
How did a person come out of a wall?
Had I mastered assassins' techniques on top of combat skills?
Choi Kang-mok laughed sheepishly.
"There's a secret passage exclusive to the director."
"So, why did you bring me here?"
"Just wait a moment."
Choi Kang-mok drew up his mana beside Christine.
"What, what are you—"
Choi Kang-mok drew up his mana.
But his expression was far too excited.
Like a nephew visiting a children's play center.
'…Wait, my skin is tingling.'
This wave, and I haven't even cast magic?
Just from preparation alone, the tension as if lethal magic were unfolding.
'He's gotten stronger?'
I knew he was powerful, but his speed is absurd.
It felt like his mental power had jumped by thirty points alone.
'Wind-attribute lethal magic deployed from a distance.'
Globally speaking, there was only one mage who could exert this level of pressure through preparation alone.
'But what is he trying to do?'
That's when it happened.
"Damn it, seriously!"
Christine jumped in shock again.
Professor Raymond came whooshing through the wall from the other side.
"Eagle Morphosis."
Chanting the spell name provides an advantage in casting magic.
Receiving the aid of vocalization and incantation.
Using magic and then chanting its name is extremely strange.
And transforming into a bald eagle to fly over is also odd.
He could just fly normally, but why transform?
It's large, heavy, and not even fast.
And then another word.
"Oh right, Triple Head."
What do you mean 'oh right'? He just thought of it now.
Even listening casually, it's a hastily improvised command.
Christine's mind grew confused.
Why would a flight spell need three heads?

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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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