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Chapter 194 : Shaping Magic: The Potential of Clay
Chapter 194: Shaping Magic: The Potential of Clay
That was the harvest from last time they entered the labyrinth, when they killed that Mud Golem on the first floor.
At the time, aside from some mud, there had also been a lump of white clay at the level of a magical item.
Now, together with the newly obtained Tier 2 spell 【Shaping Magic: Clay】.
To be honest, Gauss had begun to suspect that the rewards provided by the interface were perhaps not random.
Е̂ ň ũ.m̀ ā . і̌ ḋ
He withdrew his thoughts.
Not much time had passed. Serandur and Arya, who had reverted to human form, were collecting the spoils of battle.
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After Gauss ended his brief “distraction,” he joined them as well.
“How did you change back?” Gauss asked as he came to Arya’s side. “Weren’t you able to maintain it for several hours?”
“A bit tired.” Arya answered honestly, somewhat vexed.
Transforming into a wolf and fighting consumed far more stamina than she had imagined.
Еn ūṁ a . іḋ
Her physical strength was not bad, but compared to Gauss or other warrior classes, she was certainly lacking.
“Transforming into a Raven seems less draining.” Arya added.
“Looks like it depends on the size and strength of the creature you transform into.” Gauss nodded.
Once they finished looting, the three of them rested a short distance away.
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The number of monsters on the first floor of the labyrinth was far fewer than the last time they had come.
Perhaps it was thanks to the bounty commission posted by the Adventurer’s Guild.
Еn̄ům̄ а̊..і́ d̊
Many low-level adventurers did not dare to delve deeper into the more dangerous lower floors, but on the first floor, as long as they were cautious, the danger was lower than expected.
Or rather, even on the surface, taking other commissions would also involve risk. At least in the labyrinth, there was always the chance of unexpected gains.
The three cleared a small open space.
They drank water, ate food, replenished their strength, and quietly waited for Raven Ike to bring back intelligence.
Gauss just so happened to use this “rest time” to practice the Tier 2 spell he had just obtained.
For this “advanced” spell, he could hardly wait.
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It was just like in his previous life, when one got a new phone or computer—if you didn’t play with it for two or three days straight, you couldn’t shake off the excitement. That was exactly his situation now.
He found a broken stone pillar to sit on, laying the White Wand across his knees.
The moment he touched the wand, magical inspiration flowed into his mind without end.
Using this advantage, he closed his eyes, sinking into the depths of his consciousness.
There, many faintly glowing spell models floated and revolved.
And the brightest of them all was, of course, the newly born Tier 2 spell model of 【Shaping Magic: Clay】.
Еnŭ m̈ а .і d̈_
“As expected, it’s nothing like a Tier 1 spell...”
It was like a spinning star cluster, hovering in the center of his Sea of Consciousness. Compared to the relatively simple Tier 1 spell models, or even cantrips, its complexity was geometrically greater.
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Hundreds of pale-golden threads of mental energy intertwined intricately, forming a three-dimensional honeycomb-like structure. At the grid nodes, runes flickered with light. Just looking at it would give a first-time Tier 2 spellcaster a headache.
From the perspective of an ordinary spellcaster, Gauss thought, constructing such a model through willpower alone would take a very long time.
Even for him, relying solely on himself, the process would not be easy.
“Fortunately, I’m not ordinary.”
Е n̊ ũm̄ а́
Since the “model construction” had already been completed, analyzing its structure now was far easier than building it brick by brick from scratch.
As time passed—
Gauss soon gained a preliminary understanding of this Tier 2 spell.
Clay Magic was a Transformation-type spell, requiring the corresponding material medium for casting.
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Of course, Gauss could also make do with nearby soil, manipulating it through magical energy and the spell effect, shaping and controlling it to temporarily stabilize its form. But in that case, the effect would be greatly diminished.
The best option was to use clay or specific soil suited to channeling magic, shaping it into the form of a creature.
Ẇe_b̌ ńо ṽ е l̆ Е̊n̈ ǔ m̊ ӓ
Once skilled in the spell, he could attempt to imbue the clay with a trace of 【Spirit】, thus granting it simple, basic “intelligence” to execute simple preset commands—such as attacking enemies, protecting a target, or carrying items.
Until the granted magic was depleted, the clay creature would continue to act. Even if part of its body was destroyed, it could repair itself by reabsorbing scattered clay.
As for how to obtain 【Spirit】, it was not complicated. As long as he used Clay Magic to kill some creatures capable of simple thought, the clay could naturally absorb the 【Spirit】 they left behind.
However, this spirit energy was consumable and could not be stacked in large amounts. In other words, the intelligence of clay creatures could never increase without limit to the level of true sentient beings.
That realm already touched upon the powerful domain of creating life itself.
At least, for now, as a Tier 2 Magic User mastering a Tier 2 spell, the power of 【Shaping Magic: Clay】 had not yet reached that level.
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After a round of perception—
Gauss faintly felt that the upper potential of this spell rewarded by the Monster Encyclopedia was very high.
And this was not simply bias from it being his first Tier 2 spell.
Rather, during his study of its model, it had revealed a certain open-source quality—as though it could combine with many other spells or substances to create new magical effects.
If this guess was correct, then 【Shaping Magic: Clay】 was not just an isolated spell, but one with the potential to evolve into an entire magical system.
Absorb the spirit of birds, create clay birds, then pair it with a shared-vision spell—and he would essentially have a bird’s-eye scout.
Ė n̆ uḿ_а̌
Absorb spider spirit, pack it with simple explosives, or combine it with fire spells—and it would become a mobile, dangerous landmine.
With enough clay, he could even create a large clay construct, serving as a temporary mount or fulfilling other functions.
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The more he imagined, the more inspiration gushed forth.
Of course, he also knew well that most spell models were relatively rigid, not supporting whimsical “ideas.” Only very rare spells had this kind of divergent potential, and even then, not freely—it still had to follow some fundamental rules.
Gauss sincerely hoped his intuition was right. If so, then the reward from the Monster Encyclopedia was far more than a simple Tier 2 spell.
With that thought, he prepared to practice for real.
Е_n ũ m̃ă
From his Small Storage Bag, he took out the white clay obtained from killing the Mud Golem. It was about the size of a basketball in total.
He did not take much for practice this time.
Just a lump about the size of an egg, which he placed in his left palm.
His right hand gripped the White Wand tightly as he drew upon the spell model deep within his consciousness.
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Magical energy began to flow slowly within his body.
Unfortunately, after flowing for only a short while, it quickly broke off, stiff and incomplete.
Еǹum а..і̂ d̊
Gauss was not surprised.
At the start of practicing a brand-new spell, there was always some groping involved. Especially for one that, in principle, only a Tier 3 or higher spellcaster should be able to master—the actual difficulty of casting it was naturally greater.
Fortunately, based on his past experiences, this process would not take long.
After several attempts, the magical energy of Clay Magic finally flowed successfully into the white clay.
The clay wriggled in his hand like a maggot for a few moments before falling still again.
“Caw, caw!”
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Just then, from overhead came the call of Raven Ike, returning from scouting.
Gauss had no choice but to set aside practice for now.
And continue his business of clearing small monsters.
Whenever he had spare time, he returned to practicing Clay Magic.
He wanted to master this Tier 2 spell as quickly as possible.
Since he did not deliberately conceal it, Arya and Serandur soon noticed the movement in his hands.
Е n̊ü mа
“A new spell?”
“Yes.” Gauss nodded. “One related to clay.”
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“...” Arya was silent for a moment, her tone carrying a faint trace of envy.
“You people with bloodline talents are so fortunate. Even without spending money, you can awaken spells.”
Gauss had shown her 【Fiend Form】 over the past two days, so now she also believed Gauss was a human carrying a fairly pure ancient bloodline.
And because of this, she now had an explanation for Gauss’s abnormal physique and the new spells that occasionally appeared.
È n̈ ü m̃ a.і ď
Ordinary people, unless they were like Serandur who was not fully human to begin with, rarely awakened special bloodlines. And once awakened, there would inevitably be a transformation.
Some were benign mutations, some malignant.
Benign mutations allowed one to retain human form and reason while harnessing the power of other races’ gifts. Malignant ones meant being eroded by foreign bloodlines, suffering bodily corruption, and in severe cases losing reason and humanity entirely, becoming beasts or monsters.
In her eyes, Gauss’s case was undoubtedly the highest form of benign mutation.
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It was the opportunity all adventurers dreamed of.
Facing Arya’s envy, Gauss said nothing, focusing only on his practice.
Ẃ е̂ b nо vēl Èn u mа
In such a situation, saying anything would only sound like boasting.
Remaining silent was the most proper response.
...
Gauss put away the clay in his hands.
After several hours of practice, he had already achieved preliminary success.
The clay in his hands could now change form according to his will. Although the process was slow, it meant he had found the way forward.
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Tier 2 Spell 【Shaping Magic: Clay】 lv1 (1/10)
As long as it was displayed on the skill panel, improving it was only a matter of time.
Gauss let out a breath of relief.
“It’s getting late. Let’s head back to the entrance hall.”
Just in time, Raven Ike returned from scouting.
This time, it had not found any monsters nearby.
Ẁ е̃ ḃ ňо v̂е̂l̈ Ėn̊u mã
Both of the others nodded.
Then, under Gauss’s lead, they went directly toward the first-floor entrance hall.
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The faint glow in the air gradually dimmed.
When they neared the hall, the warm light of bonfires and torches once again illuminated the surroundings.
The vast hall bustled with noise. Adventurers gathered here—drawing water from the fountain, cooking meals in the corners.
Those with better means visited the nearby shops to ease the fatigue of the day.
Е̊ n̈ ǔm̂.а̄
Returning to the hall, under Gauss’s magic, the three of them once again became clean and tidy.
“Are we cooking for ourselves, or eating out?”
Looking at the bustling hall, Gauss handed the decision over to his teammates.
“I’m fine with anything.” Serandur shrugged. He was not picky about food—he had even tried those beetle larvae eaten by Goblins.
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“Let’s go to a restaurant. My treat.” Arya’s gaze lingered on her two teammates for a moment before she spoke up.
When it came to “tolerance” for food, the two of them were anything but normal.
Е̇nu mа
After a day of exhaustion, she only wanted to eat something normal. She truly feared Gauss might take out those long, thin water worms he had caught earlier and try to cook them.
“Alright.” Gauss thought about it. He had not yet experienced the restaurants inside the labyrinth. Perhaps there would be some special labyrinth-exclusive dishes. He gladly agreed.
Leading their Chocobos, they circled the plaza halfway before Arya finally chose a barbecue restaurant.
“So generous?” Gauss’s face broke into a smile.
Pure barbecue was not cheap. Especially now that his appetite was enormous. Though his strength ensured he could afford it, sometimes after a meal he still felt the pain in his purse.
“Mm.” Arya hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
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She had saved quite a bit of money.
It should be enough to spend.
When the three entered the shop, a waiter immediately came forward.
The interior was unexpectedly quiet, with most diners carrying the aura of Professionals.
“Are there still private rooms?” Arya glanced around the hall and asked the waiter.
“Sorry, all the private rooms are full tonight. Only one table remains in the hall.”
Ёnu m а́
“Then we’ll sit in the hall. Same thing.” Gauss waved his hand.
Though it was noisier, it was a good chance to gather information.
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Once seated in a corner, Arya began ordering food.
Meanwhile, Gauss casually swept his gaze over the other adventurers.
Relying on his vague sixth sense, only two or three people in the hall gave him a true sense of threat.
Of course, that did not mean his strength had already climbed to such a height.
Е ň u m̂ ā
It was just that at this stage of the labyrinth, many truly powerful adventurers could not enter yet—they had to wait until the labyrinth grew further.
In the current labyrinth, in terms of actual combat ability, he might already be close to the first tier.
As he observed, he picked out fragments of information from the rowdy drunks.
Many spoke about intel from the second and even third floors, some even mentioning entrance locations. But with time passing, most of those places had likely changed, turning such information into useless chatter.
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As he waited for their dishes, ears open in all directions—
At the entrance, another group of adventurers walked in.
W̃ e b̀n̈ ö v ĕ l Е̊ nůṁ а́_
“Captain, if you’re treating, then I’ll eat my fill. You’ve got money anyway.”
“Dorian, when will you treat us in return?”
“Next time, next time. I’ve got plans for my money right now.”
The sound of familiar voices drifted over.
“My apologies, honored guests. The shop is full at the moment. Would you care to wait a while, or try another restaurant?”
Gauss’s table happened to be the last one available.
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So the four who entered were stopped by the waiter.
Gauss looked up just in time to see this scene, and his eyes met those of Quake, who was scanning the hall.
“It’s him!”
The same thought flashed in both their minds.
Quake was the captain of the Iron Arm Team, with whom Gauss had crossed paths briefly during the Winter Hunt.
They had shown him some care back then.
W̆ е b̆nо̀ v ӗl̀ Ӗ n̄ ů m̀а
With that in mind, Gauss exchanged a glance with Arya.
Then he leaned toward Serandur and asked softly,
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“I’ve got some friends. Do you mind sharing the table with them?”
“No problem.”
Serandur slid his chair closer to Gauss’s side.
After a brief word, Gauss stood and waved to the four.
Ѐ num а
“These are our friends. Please add a few chairs—we’ll share the table.” He spoke to the waiter.
Since he said so, the waiter naturally had no objections.
Soon everyone was seated.
“Didn’t expect to run into you again inside the labyrinth, Gauss.”
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“Long time no see, Brother Quake.”
Quake’s gaze lingered on the three of them.
Е̊ ṅů m̃а̊
He immediately noticed the Adventurer Badges they wore.
A 3, 2, 2 lineup—in the current labyrinth stage, they were no pushovers. Wearing those badges meant they could avoid plenty of trouble.
Complicated feelings rose in Quake and his team.
Back when they had first met Gauss and Arya, the two had only been Tier 1 Professionals. Now, not only was Gauss a Tier 2 Professional, but Arya the Druid had also advanced to Tier 2—and they had even gained a Tier 3 Half-Serpent teammate.
Just now at the entrance, he had seen clearly that their group dynamic was centered on Gauss.
A Tier 3 Professional following the lead of a newly advanced Tier 2, and it was clearly not an employer-servant relationship—wasn’t that flipping the natural order upside down?
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It shook his long-held assumptions.
Yet when he sat beside Gauss, a subtle oppressive aura washed over him.
It was as if his instincts urged him to avoid some dangerous creature.
Was it Gauss? An illusion? Or was he truly this strong?
Quake wondered silently, though his face remained composed as he turned to Gauss to continue the conversation.
“How’s your labyrinth exploration going?”
Е ṅù ṁ а. і̂d̈
“Not bad. Last time we reached the second floor. This time, our goal is to push into the third.” This was no secret, so Gauss answered openly.
The third floor, huh...
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Quake nodded, his eyes flicking toward the silent Half-Serpent at Gauss’s side, quietly drinking.
Seeing Gauss’s confident manner, the last trace of superiority in his heart quietly vanished.
This young man was truly remarkable.
Perhaps by their next meeting, Gauss’s strength and influence would already surpass his own.
Е ǹ ú m̂ а . i d
He sighed inwardly.
Forcing a slightly stiff smile, he said,
“I’ve got an informant on the first floor who helps me gather intel on the second-floor entrances. We should have results by tomorrow morning. Want to set out together then?” Quake lowered his voice.
“Would that be convenient?” With such a convenience, Gauss naturally wouldn’t refuse. He merely asked politely.
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“It’s no trouble at all. Just some information.” Quake chuckled heartily. “We’re all from Graystone Town. We should help each other.”
“Much appreciated. In that case, let me cover this meal.”
E n u mà . іd
Gauss expressed his thanks, calling the waiter over to add more dishes.
Across the table, Cathy and Dorian exchanged a glance.
Both felt puzzled.
They had the distinct impression that their captain’s attitude toward Gauss seemed much warmer than before.
Almost... flattering?
But how could that be?
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Though Quake acted friendly and simple in daily life, as his teammates they knew well that their captain always weighed matters carefully. To put it bluntly, he was somewhat opportunistic.
He just never showed it openly.
The barbecue meal ended.
Beyond the food, they shared plenty of labyrinth information—about shifting passages and special monsters not found outside.
After the meal, the two parties split, agreeing to set out together in the morning.
Once farther away, Quake the Tier 3 Swordsman and Sana the Tier 3 Warlock fell into silence.
Ê n um̂á .і̊ ď
“Did you feel it?”
“Yes.” Sana nodded.
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“So frightening. The last time we met him with the caravan, he wasn’t nearly this strong.”
“Maybe before long, he’ll be a Tier 3 Mage.” Warlock Sana sighed.
During the meal, she had stayed silent the whole time. That faint aura of threat from Gauss had taken away her appetite.
A Tier 3 Mage? Was that possible?
Е ṅu mа.
Ranger Dorian listened to their exchange, recalling the first time he had seen Gauss in the forest.
Back then, he had felt proud of being a Tier 2 Professional when facing Gauss, a mere Tier 1 rookie.
And now? In the blink of an eye, Gauss had left him far behind.
So this was what they called genius?
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...
The night passed uneventfully.
Е ň um а̃
By the next day, since mounts could not be used in the second-floor environment, Gauss paid a fee to entrust their Chocobos to a carriage service for care.
Then he met up with Quake and the others at the appointed place.
After just one night—
Gauss noticed that they all greeted him with frequent smiles.
Clearly, though he had benefited from their information, it now seemed almost the other way around.
He was puzzled, but did not comment.
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“Shall we set off?”
The night before, in the inn they rented, he had continued practicing Clay Magic.
His current proficiency had already reached lv1 (6/10). He felt that today, he should be able to raise this Tier 2 spell to level 2.
Unlike other spells, the Tier 1 version of Clay Magic still could not be used in actual combat.
It would probably only be from Tier 2 onward that he could grant spirit and create simple clay creatures.
But since Quake and his three companions were still around, he paid some attention and did not continue practicing the spell while riding.
Ӗ nuṁ ä. і̌d̊
Fortunately, the delay did not last long.
With the approximate location already known, the two teams quickly reached the current second-floor entrance.
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A deep staircase stretched down into unseen depths.
“Good, the location in the intel hasn’t changed.” Quake breathed a sigh of relief at the sight.
At least he hadn’t led them on a wasted trip.
They descended the passage.
Ẃ ë b̄ ñо̂v̂е l Enü m̄ ǎ
Soon, the light ahead gradually brightened.
Stepping out of the corridor, the lush world of the labyrinth’s second floor appeared once more before their eyes.
What they saw was verdant and flourishing, as if they had stepped into an underground paradise of shrubs, moss, and insects.
“Back again, the second floor of the labyrinth.”
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“Then we’ll take our leave.” Quake and the others did not intend to continue traveling with Gauss’s group.
Sharing information was already a small favor. If they continued together, it would only create awkwardness.
Е̊ň û mа
After all, they were two separate teams. If they encountered monsters later, how would the spoils and loot be divided?
Even if the two captains could negotiate, could the members truly have no other thoughts? Besides, they weren’t yet close enough to form a single party.
“Alright, stay safe.”
“You too.”
They watched the four figures disappear into the thickets.
The Half-Serpent Serandur shook his head.
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He did not particularly like that swordsman. The man gave him a slick feeling, so from last night until now, he had hardly exchanged a proper word with him.
Even after the man’s attitude became more enthusiastic upon learning his class, Serandur had not responded much.
He knew this was a flaw in his personality. When facing people he disliked, he found it hard to summon interest in conversation.
When dealing with Gauss, he spoke plenty. With Arya, he could also manage some simple exchanges—though they were still in the process of becoming familiar.
Serandur flicked out his serpent tongue. After confirming that the Iron Arm Team had gone far, he finally turned to Gauss and spoke.
“Gauss, last time I explored the second floor of the labyrinth, I discovered a Dark Room.” His hoarse voice was low. “But since I was alone back then, I didn’t enter for safety’s sake.”
Ѐn um а
“Do you want to check it out this time?”
“A Dark Room?” Gauss pondered.
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According to the current public intel, Dark Rooms in the labyrinth were often occupied by monsters stronger than the average level of that floor’s creatures, and so the rewards were much richer.
Like the Spider Fiend’s nest that had left him unconscious—that had likely been a Dark Room.
The second floor of the labyrinth should not have contained such dangerous monsters. He and Arya had probably stumbled into a hidden passage by accident, which had led to the whole chain of events afterward.
Because of that unpleasant experience, he still carried a faint shadow in his heart. Faced with Serandur’s intel, he hesitated.
Е̌.n u m а́.
Once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of ropes.
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