Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy Chapter 1249: Skye

A spear, resembling a shaft, plunged directly into the creature's shoulder, then shattered into fragments of light that seared its shadowy flesh.

The Imp let out a shriek and staggered backward, its wound smoking and sizzling hideously… It was a decidedly painful experience.

Nevertheless, it offered no retaliation, merely fixing Galatea with a frigid glare.

If it had the strength to fight back, it would surely devour her!

The astonished crowd gasped… the inflicted damage far exceeded expectations for a student's spell.

"Radiant Spear… she completely impaled it!" a spectator exclaimed, identifying the spell.

"Is that truly Radiant Spear? She must have already achieved advanced mastery. That appeared incredibly potent," a student from another Academy commented, aware of the difficulty in even harming the Imp.

The judges leaned forward, their attention fixed on the significant injury…

They had, after all, equipped the Imp with a special, thin barrier precisely to gauge the extent of damage it sustained.

"High affinity," one of the judges declared.

Vale offered a nod upon hearing the assessment.

'Excellent. She selected a spell focused on direct impact. Something capable of truly harming corruption. This is precisely the demonstration we required.'

After a brief interval, it was finally Irene's turn.

She advanced with composed steps, raising her artifact high. In contrast to Galatea's piercing assault, Irene's method was encompassing, designed to flood the Imp with pure radiance.

Her voice resonated, steady and firm, as she channeled Holy Light.

Whom~

A brilliant beam descended from the heavens, engulfing the Imp in a column of light once more… Its movements became noticeably sluggish, as if the radiance itself was a crushing weight upon its very being.

The creature roared and began to writhe violently, its flesh getting scorched.

However, it could do nothing but await the directives from the supervising masters.

Shortly, smoke billowed from its body, and fissures of light erupted across its chest and limbs, compelling the Imp to cry out in agony…

The onlookers collectively gasped at the spectacle.

"That's Holy Light!" someone shouted.

"It's burning through the Imp's defenses!" another added, utterly amazed by the spell's damaging effectiveness.

"Observe the luminescence… it's actively suppressing the corruption itself!" a professor murmured, captivated by the spell's mechanics.

The judges meticulously evaluated the damage. The delicate barrier encasing the Imp shimmered, revealing the severity of the injury.

"Impressive… her affinity is remarkably high," one judge commented.

Another judge concurred. "Nearly on par with Galatea's offensive strike. The resonance of her light is exceptionally strong."

Soon, the audience erupted into enthusiastic cheers, applauding and shouting with excitement. Irene finally lowered her staff and executed a graceful bow before retreating.

Her score was comparable to Galatea's, and collectively, the pair had evinced that Marshall Academy's practitioners of Holy Arts were formidable contenders.

Presently, the announcer's voice echoed through the vast hall.

"Up next… Skye from Marshall Academy!"

The crowd shifted forward, an palpable sense of anticipation saturating the atmosphere. Following Galatea's piercing spear and Irene's overwhelming radiance, eager eyes turned to witness the third Marshall student's performance.

After all, Skye had secured an impressive 50 points in the initial test not long ago!

Everyone harbored high expectations for her upcoming display!

Skye proceeded calmly towards the center. Her gait was unhurried, suggesting she was carefully assessing the Imp positioned before her…

Once more, she wielded no staff, nor any ornate artifact. Her hands remained bare.

In the eyes of the spectators, she appeared almost delicate when juxtaposed against the towering Imp that materialized in her path.

The creature then emitted a low growl, poised as if to pounce…

Its oppressive presence was undeniable, even when constrained by the judges' protective barrier.

"Alright… I am ready."

Skye slowly raised her hand.

Her aura was subtle, yet as she began to unleash her spell, the crowd fell into a hushed silence…

She simply invoked Sanctified Pulse.

Unlike Galatea's spear which burst outward or Irene's beam which descended, this spell operated differently.

Instead, it erupted from within the Imp itself. A shockwave of holy energy detonated inside the creature's core, causing its body to convulse violently.

Boom!

The Imp shrieked, its agonizing roar reverberating through the hall as incandescent cracks tore across its form.

Soon, faint flames flickered, attempting to shield itself, but were overwhelmed by a searing brilliance that spread like molten gold veins.

The crowd gasped in unison, some even rising to their feet as the spell's nature became apparent.

"She's disintegrating it from the inside out!"

"That's not merely damage… she's annihilating it!"

"Simply incredible… how could a student possibly cast such a potent technique?"

The Imp faltered, its knees buckling under the strain.

For a fleeting moment, it seemed on the verge of complete collapse. However, the barrier flared erratically, diligently recording the escalating damage.

The judges exchanged looks of sheer astonishment. "Maximum damage registered," one announced.

"Her affinity surpasses the others by a considerable margin."

The hall dissolved into an uproar.

"She practically obliterated the Imp!"

"Not Marshall Academy again?!"

"How could this happen?"

The professors from the competing academies finally grasped the immense disparity that separated their institutions…

Vale’s eyes shone with deep contentment.

'Indeed… Skye has outshone them all. A Homunculus demonstrating such profound affinity… truly unprecedented.'

Concurrently, Skye lowered her hand… Her face remained impassive, aware that this outcome was the inevitable result of her capabilities…

She offered a slight bow before retreating, leaving the Imp quivering and scorched, its form still emitting a faint luminescence from the residual holy shockwave.

The subsequent students were summoned, yet their performances were laughably inferior by comparison.

Representing Radiant Dawn Academy, a young man unleashed Sacred Light Wave. The incantation impacted the Imp, resulting in only superficial burns. The adjudicators marked it as negligible damage.

Celestine Holy Academy’s champion employed Divine Prayer. The emitted glow was subdued, barely blemishing the creature. The resultant score was disappointingly low.

Golden Cross Academy’s turn came with Blessed Radiance. A faint shimmer emanated from the magical barrier, registering only the slightest degree of damage.

Each subsequent effort appeared to wane in potency compared to what came before. The spectators grew restless, their whispers filled with evident disappointment. Following Skye's devastating display, all other attempts felt utterly insignificant… It was eerily reminiscent of the prior assessment!

At long last, the announcer proclaimed the conclusion of the second trial as the Imps dissipated into wisps of smoke…

"The Affinity Trial has officially concluded!"

Following this, the commencement of the ultimate trial for the Holy Arts Students was heralded!