Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy Chapter 1196: The Advancement

"This..."

Six steps were already behind Lisa, and with every advancement, the burden on her vampiric essence intensified. This was more than mere physical pressure; it felt as though the Tower itself was stripping away her defenses, systematically evaluating the limits of her bloodline.

In an instant, her surroundings shifted. The stone stairs vanished into a thick fog, leaving Lisa standing within a hallway of undulating shadows. The walls throbbed with the rhythm of organic tissue, making her feel as if her internal organs were being twisted. Before her, the seventh step emitted a soft radiance, though it no longer resembled simple masonry...

Then, the world abruptly returned to normal.

'What on earth is happening?' Lisa thought, her confusion mounting. It felt as if the trial was merely a psychological gauntlet designed to push her toward insanity!

Taking a stabilizing breath, she pushed forward once more.

She came to the realization that this very staircase likely constituted the trial of the eighth floor itself.

This epiphany allowed Lisa to finally regain her composure.

'This is nothing more than a test.'

As she stepped onto the seventh stair, her sight grew hazy. She saw a vision of herself as a mere mortal—weak, defenseless, and subjected to the taunts of figures from her childhood...

Her hands balled into fists at the insults, and she forced the hallucination to shatter. It was undeniably true... without Vale's intervention, she never would have achieved this level of Cultivation.

Yet, she maintained the conviction that she was the chosen one. Regardless of whether she was destined for it, she earned this place.

With that resolve, she conquered several more steps.

Upon reaching the eighth step, her blood began to seethe. It felt as though her vampiric essence was being siphoned away, as if the Tower demanded the total renunciation of her lineage. She bit down on her lip until it bled, and that small spark of crimson caused her aura to erupt back to life.

On the ninth step, the atmosphere grew heavy with a crushing pressure that made her feel as though she were drowning.

The voices of Chad, Magnus, and her former peers echoed in her ears, branding her as the weakest and claiming she was unworthy of standing among them. Fury boiled in her heart.

"I don’t need your approval. I will carve my own place."

As she hit the tenth step, shadowy beasts emerged from the walls, their mouths dripping with toxic saliva. They lunged at her, shredding her clothes. Lisa fought back with ferocity, her eyes ablaze with killing intent, until the creatures dissipated into mist.

On the eleventh step, her pulse began to falter. The Tower attempted to halt her blood flow and solidify her essence. She forced her vampiric regeneration to kick in, utilizing her Divinity to keep moving forward.

"The danger here is far greater than I anticipated..." Lisa reflected, remembering the numerous warnings she had received regarding this Tower.

Even an Asura like Sreas would typically stop his ascent at the sixth floor.

Nevertheless, this was the price of true growth.

Lisa paused to recover her strength before continuing her climb.

On the twelfth step, the Human Immortal, Magnus, appeared before her. He wore a sorrowful expression, looking down on her with condescending pity.

Lisa merely gnashed her teeth in response.

"You think you’re stronger than me? You’re not. You’re just afraid." Lisa roared, shattering the illusion with a strike.

Upon the thirteenth step, the entire staircase buckled. The walls began to weep, and torrents of blood cascaded down the stairs. Lisa braced herself.

"Blood is not weakness. Blood is power," she whispered, allowing the gore to wash over her like a dark baptism.

On the fourteenth step, her own reflection manifested, but it was a twisted horror. Her wings were mangled, her fangs dripped with gore, and her eye sockets were empty pits of darkness.

The monstrosity shrieked and charged.

'No... I will not fight you...'

Sensing no genuine malice, Lisa refrained from attacking. Instead of drawing a weapon, she opened her arms and embraced the creature, pulling the shadow into her own soul.

Whoosh~

The figure vanished, confirming she had made the correct choice as a surge of power fortified her body.

'This is it...' Lisa thought, her determination reaching a fever pitch.

On the fifteenth step, the flow of time slowed to a crawl. She witnessed the long history of vampires who had come before her, all of whom had met their ends in failure. She gritted her teeth, understanding the message.

"I will not be another forgotten name," Lisa murmured.

On the sixteenth step, her aura suddenly plummeted. She realized the Tower was demanding a price. Slicing her palm open, she let her blood soak into the stone. The staircase drank it hungrily, glowing with a renewed intensity.

In that moment, the path of the Vampire Immortal became vivid in her mind.

On the seventeenth step, her limbs shook. Every insecurity she possessed—hunger, hesitation, and terror—bore down on her.

"I accept them... but they will not define me."

On the eighteenth step, the environment turned a brilliant gold. A divine, holy light flooded the room, searing her vampiric essence.

It felt as though it was trying to incinerate her.

Screaming against the pain, she forced herself to keep moving. She had to prove she could survive even the most sacred radiance.

'Yes... this is the way. A Vampire Immortal who does not fear Holy Light!' Lisa realized.

Having survived the light, Lisa’s confidence surged.

On the nineteenth step, a profound silence took over. She felt hollow; her blood, her aura, and her strength had all vanished. She was left in a void of nothingness.

'What is this trial?'

Closing her eyes, she thought of the students she protected and the friends she wished to stand beside. "I will live for them," she whispered. Her essence flared back to life at her words.

She remembered her own death and her rebirth from a solitary drop of blood. In those few seconds, she touched upon enlightenment.

Losing track of time, she eventually found herself standing upon the twentieth and final step.

This time, there were no illusions.

The stairs opened into a massive hall. At the center sat a golden chalice adorned with rubies, filled with a shimmering, deep red liquid.

Then, a voice resonated through the air.

"You have endured the trials. You have faced despair, hunger, weakness, and doubt. Drink, and your bloodline shall ascend."

Lisa picked up the goblet. The crimson glow was nearly irresistible.

It appeared to be the perfect reward. The aroma of the blood was intoxicating—ancient and potent. Just the scent promised a level of power beyond her wildest dreams. Her hand shook as she raised the cup to her mouth.

But she froze.

Her intuition flared with a warning. This was the Dark Arts Tower, a sanctuary for all who walked the path of shadows, not specifically for vampires. Why would there be a prize so perfectly tailored to her specific nature? Why would the Tower offer such an easy, tempting shortcut?

It was far too convenient.

'Is this...'

Lisa lowered the cup, her mind racing. "No... this isn’t a reward. It’s the final test."

With a decisive strike, she hurled the chalice to the floor. It shattered into pieces, and the glowing fluid splashed across the stones.

Immediately, the liquid hissed and vanished into a cloud of vapor.

The entire chamber began to vibrate.

A low, guttural rumble shook the Tower, signaling its recognition of her decision.

"You have rejected false power. You have chosen truth. The trial is complete."

As the voice faded, a violent tremor rocked the entire structure.

On the lower levels, students engaged in Cultivation were violently thrown from their meditation circles. The heavy doors swung open, and one by one, the practitioners were forcibly ejected from the Tower, left standing in the biting night air.

Chaos erupted instantly.

"What just happened?"

"Why were we kicked out?"

"I was right in the middle of my session!"

"Did the Tower just... shut down?"

"What the hell?! Did my Academic Points run out? I should have ten hours left!"

"I want a refund! Why is it closing? Was there no notice for maintenance?"

The disgruntled crowd gathered at the base, staring up at the silent, looming monolith of the Dark Arts Tower.

The entrance was firmly sealed, and its usual aura had vanished. Entry was impossible.

Dread and anger spread through the students.

The Dark Arts Tower had always been accessible to anyone with enough Academic Points. Its challenges were thought to be eternal, a constant source of strength for the students. But now, for the first time since its founding, it had closed its doors.

Inside, Lisa was equally bewildered. The chamber began to dissolve, the very walls melting into the dark. She attempted to move, but her body felt leaden, her essence being pulled in every direction.

It felt as though she was being consumed by the Tower itself!

"What... is this?" she breathed.

Suddenly, the Tower’s voice spoke once more.

"You have been chosen. The Tower accepts you. You are no longer a visitor... You are part of it."

Her eyes stretched wide. She felt herself sinking, her aura weaving into the shadows of the walls, her very bloodline syncing with the Tower’s core. She was being absorbed, becoming one with its essence.

"Wait... This isn’t—"