Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy Chapter 1243: Alchemy Students

The atmosphere in the coliseum shifted dramatically as the announcers proclaimed the next duel. This time, neither Jericho nor Gelo advanced, but instead, Hervont Academy's most powerful knight stepped up. Known as Kite, his legendary reputation had already spread everywhere.

Kite towered unusually high for a fifteen-year-old, radiating the aura of a seasoned warrior who had savored victory countless times. Hervont Academy regarded him as a true prodigy. Peers his age could scarcely envision defeating him.

The emperor himself acknowledged his talent, adorning his armor with intricate imperial engravings that pulsed with Arcane Energy, hinting at high-grade Royal Class Artifacts at minimum.

He wielded a halberd as his preferred weapon, far longer and bulkier than the swords typical of other knights, yet ideally matched to his colossal strength.

Facing him was a trainee from Kildare Knights Academy, the shining pride of Milton Kingdom.

Kildare Knights Academy held the title of the continent's premier Knight Academy, having forged numerous Grand Knights, so spectators anticipated an earth-shaking clash of titans...

The announcer’s voice boomed: "Begin!"

The battle erupted with the Kildare knight trainee lunging forward rapidly, activating Sword Oath—the binding spell that honed his blows and amplified his speed.

This was one of their Foundational Spells... Simultaneously, his steps grew swifter and more fluid as he unleashed the Academy’s second foundational spell, Iron Will.

This incantation guarded him against distractions and terror!

However, Kite was forged differently, remaining completely unfazed...

One mighty swing of his halberd demolished the Kildare knight’s defense.

Bang! Bang!

Metal clashed against metal, the shockwave echoing throughout the arena. The Kildare knight trainee reeled backward, overwhelmed by the raw power of Kite’s attack.

The crowd gasped in unison.

A vast chasm separated their Power Strands!

Kite boasted at least 30 Power Strands—astoundingly elevated for someone his age.

"Incredible!"

"Kite! Crush him!"

"Don’t let him recover!"

"Finish it fast!!"

"Kite! Kite! Kite!"

His comrades roared in encouragement!

Kite surged onward without mercy, denying his rival any moment to regroup...

His halberd carved broad sweeping arcs, every blow charged with Arcane Energy. Then, Imperial Rally ignited within him!

This spell surged his endurance and might, enabling an unending barrage.

The Kildare knight desperately countered, yet Kite’s halberd struck swifter, harder, and more brutally!

"Boring..." Kite muttered, taunting his foe...

Every offensive thrust met a devastating parry that hurled him retreating.

At one moment, the Kildare knight summoned Guardian’s Shield, conjuring a shimmering wall of Arcane Energy to block Kite’s onslaught. Briefly, onlookers believed a comeback loomed. Yet Kite’s halberd pounded the barrier repeatedly, each impact fiercer than before, until it exploded under the merciless onslaught.

Vale observed intently and nodded.

’

He mused.

Regardless, the duel raged on, yet the dominant force was unmistakable.

The Kildare knight’s barriers collapsed beneath Kite’s furious assaults...

Dents scarred his armor, chips marred his blade, and fatigue steadily eroded his vigor.

At last, a deafening halberd strike from Kite slammed into the Kildare knight’s chestplate. Guardian’s Shield had vanished, Iron Will had faded, and he slumped unconscious from extreme exertion.

The announcer’s voice thundered... "Victory! Kite of Hervont Knights Academy!"

Cheers exploded from the crowd, awestruck by Kite’s utter supremacy.

Vale breathed out steadily. He anticipated Hervont’s knights to be formidable, but Kite surpassed mere competence. This opponent demanded full respect.

Vale’s assurance stood firm.

Within the individual division, Jericho would face a grueling challenge against Kite.

However, when three-on-three team battles began, Vale felt certain of his students’ victory. Zerel’s blessings, Marshall Academy’s foundational spells’ potency, and his trainees’ unbreakable bond would secure their success.

Harboring this conviction, Vale vanished from the coliseum, his shadow fading undetected.

***

He materialized in the vast hall hosting the Alchemist Competition.

In stark contrast to the coliseum, this venue remained serene, arrayed with lines of tables and cauldrons. A subtle aroma of herbs and minerals lingered in the air, wholly unlike elsewhere.

Here, raw combat gave way to masterful creation.

Three students from each academy competed. Their assignment seemed straightforward on paper but demanded profound skill...

They aimed to forge a Spirit Restoration Pill, a versatile elixir restoring Spirit Energy for all Arcanists.

Piles of ingredients sat at the hall’s heart, meticulously organized by the hosts. Yet impostors lurked among them.

Hosts had slyly included deceptive materials—plants and minerals mimicking the real ones but yielding wildly different results.

Ghost Grass mimicked Spirit Grass visually, yet turned venomous if mishandled in refinement.

Ashroot impersonated Vitalroot, lacking any healing essence.

False Lotus bore petals nearly identical to True Lotus, but offered only bitterness and futility in alchemy.

Mimic Moss apeared like Soul Moss, dissolving to dust under heat.

Ironleaf closely resembled Silverleaf, harboring metallic contaminants that could destroy a pill.

Competitors needed to pinpoint authentic ingredients and choose the finest specimens. One slip could doom the whole concoction!

"Ohh... This promises to be far more captivating..." Vale whispered, surveying the setup.

The alchemy trial extended beyond mere selection.

No external flames were supplied.

Coal was distributed to each, but true fire sprang from their cores. Every alchemist harbored a personal flame fused into their being, born of their innate affinity and rigorous practice.

Vale, naturally, had picked the Alchemy Division’s top three talents.

Marshall Academy fielded three gifted alchemists, each commanding a unique flame.

Gus bore the Eternal Whiteflame—serene, even-tempered, ideal for meticulous alchemy.

Nolan commanded Azure Frostfire, an uncommon blaze of utmost clarity and purity. Tough to tame, yet supreme for elixirs and delicate shifts. Its bearers often served as healers and sages.

Finally, Layla harnessed Crimson Pyre. Per Zeno, it blazed ferociously, destructively, perfect for weapon forging and battle alchemy.

These variances granted each a distinct prowess.

Rival academies flaunted their own signature flames, naturally. Some mastered Emerald Verdantfire for botanical processing. Others gripped Golden Sunfire, mighty yet fickle. Rare few tamed Shadowflame, perilous and volatile, excelling at impurity incineration but defiant to command.

The announcer’s voice resounded across the hall... "Begin!"