Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy Chapter 1323: The Base

Knock! Knock!

A series of knocks interrupted Vale’s thoughts.

"Come in," Vale said without raising his head.

The door opened, and one of his subordinates entered. The man wore a dark uniform bearing the insignia of the Shadow Domain’s faction, and his expression suggested that he had brought something more important than an ordinary report.

"My Lord, we have received an urgent message concerning Armin and his companions."

Vale finally looked up.

"Armin?"

"Yes, My Lord. Armin, Rehan, and Ely have apparently discovered something significant during their investigation."

Vale placed the documents in his hand on the desk.

His disciple, Armin, had been working alongside his friends, Rehan and Ely, as part of their paranormal investigations. Although their work often involved investigating strange incidents, supernatural phenomena, and rumors that ordinary people dismissed as nonsense, Vale knew that their investigations occasionally uncovered information far more valuable than anyone expected.

"Tell me what happened."

The subordinate hesitated briefly before answering.

"They believe they’ve discovered a clue that could lead them to the base of the Chaos Arts Practitioners."

For a moment, the room fell silent.

Vale’s expression changed slightly.

"Their base?"

"Yes, My Lord. They haven’t confirmed its exact location yet, but the evidence they uncovered suggests that several incidents they investigated were connected to the same group. After comparing their findings, they discovered a pattern that may point toward one of the Chaos Arts Practitioners’ hidden strongholds."

Vale leaned back in his chair as he considered the news.

This was certainly unexpected.

The Chaos Arts Practitioners might not pose much of a threat given his current strength, but that didn’t change the fact that Xal’Zyrath, the Chaos Sovereign, could return at any time.

Furthermore, unlike Arcane Arts practitioners, who focused on cultivating their abilities and deepening their understanding of the supernatural, those who practiced Chaos Arts pursued methods that often involved forbidden knowledge, dangerous rituals, and forces capable of corrupting both the body and the soul.

Their activities were difficult to track because they rarely operated openly. They hid behind seemingly unrelated incidents, manipulated others to achieve their objectives, and abandoned their bases whenever they suspected that someone had discovered their presence.

Finding even a reliable clue to one of their strongholds was no small achievement.

"How did they discover it?" Vale asked.

"The details are still being compiled, My Lord. However, the initial report suggests that the three of them noticed inconsistencies between several paranormal incidents. What appeared to be unrelated cases may have been connected to the same source."

Vale nodded slowly.

Armin had always been curious, and that curiosity had occasionally led him into situations more dangerous than he realized. Rehan and Ely were no less determined when it came to their investigations, and together, the three had a habit of pursuing strange clues long after others would have abandoned them.

Ordinarily, Vale would have been pleased to hear that his disciple had made such progress.

However, discovering a possible Chaos Arts Practitioners’ base was not something he could take lightly.

If their suspicions were correct, Armin and his friends might have stumbled upon a secret that the practitioners had spent years protecting. If those people discovered that someone was investigating them, they would hardly sit back and wait to be exposed.

"Have they informed anyone else?" Vale asked.

"Not that we know of, My Lord. The information has only recently reached us, and we’re still trying to determine how much they’ve uncovered."

Vale fell silent for a moment, considering the situation.

He had sent Armin to various regions with the freedom to pursue his interests, provided that he didn’t recklessly endanger himself. After all, Armin didn’t seem to like staying in the Shadow Domain.

Still, paranormal investigations were a suitable way for his disciple to gain experience, learn more about the supernatural world, and develop the ability to recognize threats independently.

But this was different.

The Chaos Arts Practitioners were not some ordinary group of occultists who could be intimidated by a mere display of power. Their methods were unpredictable, and their secretive operations made them difficult to deal with. Even if Armin and his friends had uncovered only a small part of their activities, that alone could put them in danger.

"Send someone to contact Armin," Vale ordered. "Tell him and his companions not to approach the suspected location until we understand what they’re dealing with. I want a complete report of their findings, including every incident they believe is connected to the Chaos Arts Practitioners."

"Understood, My Lord."

"And quietly investigate the information they’ve uncovered. I don’t want the practitioners to realize that we’re looking into this matter before we determine whether their base has actually been found."

The subordinate bowed. "I’ll arrange it immediately."

After the man left, Vale remained seated behind his desk, his expression thoughtful.

He had expected the Chaos Arts Practitioners to become a problem sooner or later. Groups that relied on forbidden knowledge and dangerous supernatural forces rarely remained quiet forever.

Still, he hadn’t expected Armin and his friends to discover a possible lead while conducting their paranormal investigations.

A faint smile appeared on Vale’s face, but it quickly disappeared.

If the clue proved genuine, this could be an opportunity to uncover a significant part of the Chaos Arts Practitioners’ operations. Their hidden base might contain records, artifacts, or information that could reveal what they were planning.

But there was another possibility.

Perhaps the clue was too obvious because someone had deliberately left it behind.

Vale turned his gaze toward the window, where the distant landscape stretched beneath the afternoon sky.

He had no intention of allowing his disciple and his friends to become sacrifices in someone else’s scheme.

If the Chaos Arts Practitioners had already managed to summon or call for Xal’Zyrath, however, the situation would be far more serious.

Vale’s expression grew solemn as he considered that possibility.

The return of the Chaos Sovereign would threaten far more than Armin and his companions. Depending on the circumstances, it could become a problem even he would have difficulty resolving.