Sage System

The students call me "Professor Grimm." It seems my flashy name given by my parents left quite an impression.

"Why are you alone in the dungeon?"

Amane looked down.

"I was trying to improve my ranking."

"It's too dangerous to be alone."

"But you're alone too, Professor."

"Ugh, you got me there. I'm regretting my foolish decision as well."

"Then we're even."

"Well, let's leave it at that for today. Let's head back together."

After picking up the warhammer Amane had dropped, we made our way to the surface.

"Professor, you can use magic other than life magic?"

"Why? I can barely use anything besides life magic."

"Then how do you defeat monsters?"

"It's simple: using life magic and this hunting knife."

I tapped the sheath holding the hunting knife, and Amane tilted her head in confusion.

Seeing her reaction made me realize the general perception of life magic, and it was disappointing.

"But life magic isn't designed for attacking anything."

"It depends on how you use it. I'll prove it to you when we reach the next floor."

We ascended to the second floor.

"Professor Grimm, please be careful. The monsters here, like the Ripper Cat, are very fast."

After walking for about five minutes, we encountered a Ripper Cat. I drew my hunting knife and spoke to Amane.

"I'll handle this. Stay back."

Amane took a few steps back.

At that moment, the Ripper Cat leapt at us.

"'Push.'"

I shouted to let Amane know what spell I was using. The Ripper Cat was slammed against the ceiling and, as it fell, I sliced its throat with the hunting knife, killing it.

"No way!"

"See, I use life magic to defeat monsters."

"Did you just use 'Push'? What did you do?"

"I used 'Push' to launch the cat into the air and then finished it off as it fell."

"I can't believe it. I've never seen anyone fight monsters with life magic before."

"For certain types of monsters, life magic can be very effective. Like the Bloodsucking Bats on the first floor."

"Bloodsucking Bats? Those are known to be hard to deal with. They dodge weapons easily and are difficult to hit with spells."

We ascended to the first floor and encountered a Bloodsucking Bat.

"'Roll.'"

I cast the spell, causing the bat to spin rapidly in the air. When the spinning stopped, the bat dropped to the ground.

"Finish it off."

I instructed Amane, who quickly raised her warhammer and brought it down on the bat.

I used life magic to defeat several Bloodsucking Bats and Frenzied Rats, demonstrating their effectiveness.

"See? Life magic can be pretty amazing, right?"

"Yes, I see that it works well on weaker monsters. But I'm not sure it would work on monsters in mid-level or high-level dungeons..."

Amane's words struck a chord. Even I had to admit, life magic might not be effective in mid-level or high-level dungeons.

After defeating several more monsters, we returned to the surface. After parting ways with Amane, I went back to my janitor's hut and unpacked my backpack.

There were several magic stones, black iron sand, goggles, and a scroll.

"I've gathered quite a few magic stones. I should sell them tomorrow. Now, let's check out this scroll."

I picked up the scroll and opened it. The scroll was inscribed with magical script, reading "Life Magic Creation." I could read a bit of the magical language, and there was something that looked like a magic circle drawn on it.

"This is... the Sage System, isn't it?"

The Sage System is a method for creating magic. Several adventurers had discovered it before and created many new spells, spreading them across the world.

Those who made significant contributions through the Sage System were honored with the title of "Wise Men" or "Sages." The Sage System has different types corresponding to various kinds of magic.

But this is the Life Magic Sage System. I'd have preferred the Offensive Magic Sage System.

"Oh, it wouldn't matter anyway. You can only create spells within your own magic level."

Even if I had the Offensive Magic Sage System, with my offensive magic level at zero, I wouldn't be able to create a single spell.

"So, I guess it's lucky that I got the Life Magic Sage System."

I knew how to use the scroll. All I had to do was channel magic power into the open scroll.

I channeled my magic power into the scroll. The knowledge and techniques stored within the scroll began to flood into my mind. The overwhelming influx of information caused my brain to scream in pain.

Despite this, the knowledge continued to pour in, and I lost consciousness.

When I came to, the clock showed that it was past nine. I had been unconscious for over four hours.

"What a terrible experience. Oh right, the scroll."

The scroll had fallen to the floor. When I picked it up and unfolded it, the magical script and magic circle had vanished. It seemed to have been used up.

In my mind, I found something resembling a virtual space, which I could use to develop new spells.

Life magic involves "D-Particle Manipulation" and "D-Particle Primary Mutation." Spells like "Push" that form D-Particle plates involve D-Particle Manipulation, while spells like "Light" use D-Particle Primary Mutation.

"It's different from what I imagined. I thought it would be more mystical. ...Maybe I should give it a try."

Using "Swing" as a reference, I tried to modify the spell to shape D-Particles into a blade and slash down.

However, I discovered that forming the D-Particles into a blade took a significant amount of time. Gathering and shaping the particles took too long for the spell to be practical.

The thin plates formed by "Swing" had a purpose. The thinness allowed for quick formation and immediate spell activation, but gathering enough D-Particles to form a blade took too long.

Changing my approach, I formed a very thin, long V-shaped plate, like a chisel, with a sharp, narrow angle.

Testing the spell on a radish, it cut through easily. But when I tried it on a log, the V-shaped plate shattered after barely cutting into it.

The plate couldn't withstand the impact. So, I tried forming two V-shaped plates simultaneously, layering them together. This time, it cut through a log about five centimeters in diameter. But thicker logs caused the plates to shatter.

Since my life magic level was five, I could use up to five spells simultaneously. I increased the number of V-shaped plates to five and tested it on a log about ten centimeters in diameter. A whooshing sound was followed by the log splitting in half. Combining multiple spells seemed to enhance their power.

After making several improvements, I completed a spell I called "Blade." I had proven that life magic could achieve the destructive power of offensive magic.