Learning Fifth-level Magic

On Linley's first night back, Yale, George, Renault, Linley, and Arnold walked along the quiet paths of Ernst Academy, casually chatting about everything that had happened over the past two months.

"Linley, you have no idea. After you left, Arnold must have taken some kind of miracle drug. He trained like crazy, and just a few days before you came back, he reached the level of a Fifth-level Mage," Renault said enviously. After all, Renault was only a Third-level Mage at the time.

"Arnold, you're amazing! No wonder you're considered as talented as Dixie." Linley casually slapped Arnold on the shoulder.

"Linley, you're complimenting yourself by taking the long way around. You reached Fifth-level Mage long before I did," Arnold teased.

The group also mentioned the recorder to Linley, and Linley hurriedly said he would take a good look at it when he returned. Yale and Renault had used the recorder to pick up several quite pretty girls at the academy!

After a while, Delia arrived as well. The moment Arnold saw her, he knew that Delia was interested in Linley.

They had barely exchanged a few polite words when a cold voice rang out. "Delia, Uncle's carriage is still waiting outside. Don't waste any more time."

Arnold looked up and saw a youth in academy robes standing in the distance. It was Delia's older brother, Dixie, one of Ernst Academy's two great geniuses. Dixie's academy robe was immaculate, without a single stain. His eyes were exceptionally clear as well.

Delia let out a disappointed "Oh." "Linley, Father told my brother and me to go back. The carriage is waiting outside, so I'll be leaving first."

"All right, Delia. We can talk again when you come back," Linley said with a smile.

"Mm, goodbye." Delia was clearly disappointed that she did not have more time to talk with Linley. Dixie in the distance also walked over. He merely glanced at Delia, and she headed toward him. Dixie, however, looked at Linley. "Linley, I heard you went to the Warcraft Mountain Range for training. Congratulations on completing it successfully."

Linley was startled.

Dixie had actually spoken to him? Dixie's coldness was famous throughout Ernst Academy. Most people felt pressured whenever they were around him, especially when those clear eyes fixed upon someone. That psychological pressure could make the other person feel as though they were about to collapse.

"Oh, thank you," Linley replied.

Dixie then turned to Arnold. "Arnold, your progress has been quite fast. Congratulations on reaching Fifth-level Mage."

Arnold smiled. "Mm, thank you for the compliment."

Dixie nodded slightly, then led his younger sister Delia toward the academy gates.

The next day, Arnold went to speak with the fifth-year earth-element instructor. The instructor gave him special tutoring, and Arnold obtained all the fifth-level earth-element spells. All that remained was practice.

Among earth-element spells, the foremost defensive technique was undoubtedly the Earth Guardian Sacred Armor. The Earth Guardian Sacred Armor was a spell that continuously evolved. At the Fifth-level Mage and Sixth-level Mage stages, the sacred armor covering the entire body was formed from stone. Upon reaching Seventh-level Mage, it would be formed from jade. At Eighth-level Mage, it would be formed from crystal jade. At Ninth-level Mage, it would evolve into platinum. Once one became a Saint Domain Mage, the Earth Guardian Sacred Armor would be formed from diamond. Its defensive power was formidable...

In terms of attack, there was the Earth Spike Spear Array, which could cause dozens of Earth Thrust Lances to erupt from the ground. Its destructive power was quite strong.

There was also the Gravity Spell! This was an exceptionally terrifying earth-element spell. It controlled the flow of earth-elemental essence and adjusted the gravitational pull within a certain area, causing the pressure on its target to increase sharply. One had to be at least a Fifth-level Mage to cast the Gravity Spell. The more powerful the earth-element mage, the greater the power of the Gravity Spell they cast. Generally speaking, when a Fifth-level Mage cast a Gravity Spell, the ground's gravitational pull became twice as strong. When an Eighth-level Mage cast it, the gravitational pull became around eight times as strong.

There was also the fifth-level spell evolved from the first-level spell Shattering Stone, which was likewise called Shattering Stone. From the first level through the ninth level, this spell was always called Shattering Stone, but upon reaching the level of forbidden magic, its name changed to Meteorite Descent.

In truth, an ordinary Fifth-level Mage could cast only a very limited number of fifth-level spells, just two. If they wanted to cast more, they would have to recover their magical power first. Thus, there were only a few fifth-level earth-element spells, but they were enough for Arnold to practice.

Moreover, the purpose of practicing magic was to prepare for real combat. Arnold had already planned it out: first, he would master the earth-element spells, then he would practice wind-element spells as well. Because his elemental affinity for wind was inferior to his earth-element affinity, his progress was not as fast, but he had still reached the Fourth-level stage. Some wind-element spells were quite useful.

Practicing magic was really just the combination of magical incantations and magical power. Before long, Arnold had mastered the newly learned earth-element spells—Shattering Stone, Earth Spike Spear Array, Gravity Spell, and Earth Guardian Sacred Armor. Of these spells, the one Arnold liked most was the Gravity Spell.

Influenced by the memories of the young man from Earth, Arnold had a clear understanding of gravity as a physical law.

On Earth, gravity was the force objects experienced due to the attraction of the planet Earth. Earth was a planet, so everything on it was affected by gravity and could walk steadily upon the ground. As for the Yulan Continent, according to Arnold's own deductions, it was probably a flat continent. Yet this magical world naturally had Earth Laws that caused all objects to be affected by gravity.

At that moment, beside a stream in the back mountain area of Ernst Academy, a twelve- or thirteen-year-old youth lay prone on the ground, sweat continuously dripping from his body. This was the effect of Arnold casting the fifth-level spell, the Gravity Spell, upon himself.

I never expected that merely doubling the ground's gravitational pull would make me feel this miserable. Arnold felt utterly helpless.

He remembered that when he had first begun attending the first-year earth-element classes, Instructor Wendy had introduced the students to the approximate spells available at each level of earth-element magic. Back then, Arnold had become extremely excited when he heard about the Gravity Spell.

The moment he heard of the Gravity Spell, Arnold thought of the gravity chamber from a famous Earth comic, where a certain alien had trained under gravity one hundred times that of Earth and increased his fighting strength severalfold.

Even before falling asleep at night, he had thought that once he reached Fifth-level Mage in earth-element magic, he would definitely use the Gravity Spell for physical training.

Arnold's magical talent was excellent, though he had no idea how good his warrior talent might be. Still, through physical training alone, one could reach the level of a Sixth-level Warrior. Using the Gravity Spell to train his body and bring it to a very high level should have been a good plan.

But after he truly became a Fifth-level Mage and learned the relevant details of the Gravity Spell, Arnold was left deeply helpless. The spell's range increased along with the mage's level. At the beginning, the ground's gravitational pull was doubled; at the Sixth-level and Seventh-level stages of earth-element magic, it was quadrupled; at the Eighth-level stage, it was eightfold...