"See, if you reduce the size of the projectile and instead focus on penetration and speed, you can gain a good offensive spell without needing a high level of earth magic. Also, If you physically throw the needle, you can reduce the cost to shoot it or keep the cost but give the needle more speed."
I easily form a rock needle and throw it while using some earth magic to pull it forward. It speeds up and directly pierced through the target.
"Like this?"
My new student tries to imitate me but he ends up rushing the creation process and his lack of mp dedicated to the spell causes the shoddy rock needle to slow down before impact. It hits the target but doesn't penetrate deeply. It's also cracked which mean that any stronger resistance like leather armor would have likely made it shatter before it got through.
"Hmm, not bad when you only want to distract your enemy. But I have to suggestions. First, create the needles ahead of combat to ensure proper shape and hardness and save the time it takes you to make them during combat. Second, you are wasting a tremendous chunk of your mp by trying to make the needle move as if you were using telekinesis. To make it more efficient, use the image of pulling the earth inside the needle forward instead of wrapping it up and launching it."
"But you made it instantly!"
"My earth magic is currently level 10 and I have plenty of practice with this spell. I know how to form that needle in my sleep. Therefore, I can make it on the spot. I still prepare them ahead of time when in the dungeon though. It helps to have all my mp usable for offense and not creation when in a fight."
"How do you come up with all these new spells? The advertisement said that you registered four earth element spells for beginners in the tower of magic. You more than doubled the number of beginner spells for this element!"
I instantly raise my guard at that line of questioning. I did do all that. It wasn't hard when only three earth element spells for beginners had ever been recorded. And those are just shift earth, levitate earth and shape earth. My submission of four new spells, being sand ball, rock needle, ground spikes and ground fence, was taken with great surprise and followed by mountains of praise.
It's not that creating these spells is difficult. It's just that low level earth mages don't really have the time and leisure to create new spells. And once you level up your magic skill, creating spells you don't really want to use is considered a waste of time.
After all, mages are the heavy hitters so they are always protected when facing small fry that would warrant a weaker spell. And it's not like you can really earn much from it. It's mostly just fame to have created new spells.
Teaching someone the basics is only lucrative for someone like me who does not focus on magic but is more of variety build.
Though from my actions over the past two months, I might as well be a magic build.
Be that as it may, I'll become too reliant on magic if this continues. Just look at my status!
Status Guy Lv. 44 Goblin scholar
Mp 10+123+333
Strength 5+123+1
Constitution 5+123+2
Speed 5+123+5
Magic ability 0+123+54
Skills:
universal humanoid language, universal monster language, dungeon map
throwing lv. 7; soul vision lv.6; enhanced stamina lv. 5; breathing technique lv. 7; stealth lv. 5; enhanced stomach capacity lv.3; chase lv.1
instructing lv.4; instructor's assessment lv.3; combat medic assessment Lv.3; skill book creation lv. 2
dagger use lv. 10; backstab lv.4; energy dagger lv. 3;
trap making lv. 5; woodworking lv. 4; camp construction lv.2; make-shift crafting lv. 3;
dismantling lv. 6; field surgery lv.6; cleaning lv. 1;
Earth magic lv. 10; ice magic lv. 3
Mental resistance lv.2; physical damage resistance lv.1
The enemy is buckling under the pressure you put on them. They are hemorrhaging money left, right and center. If the justice hall hadn't given them a generous cash infusion, they would have already been forced to scale back their activities.
Meanwhile our investments are mostly concentrated in low cost projects such as you and Jade. Sorry if I call you cheap but the effect your very meager strength has is just disproportionate to your effectiveness.
This fight will no doubt continue for months if not years but you have mostly done what you could. Until you evolve and can train up monsters on higher levels, you'll likely be free of the white tower.>
Which means I'll likely be transferred back to the great labyrinth of death, right?
You're in my head, Navi! Don't pretend you don't know that I've started to enjoy fighting strong opponents. So long as they are not defenseless like carriers, I'll fight. Even if my conscience hurts every time I do it.
You want me to go on a rampage while losing my sanity and kill myself a dozen times over? Or are you referring to the second personality?
You're welcome!