Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy Chapter 5 Mysterious Man

After some time had passed, Kyle realized he was being transported toward what appeared to be an industrial factory.

Six towering chimneys belched thick black smoke into the air, and the rhythmic clanging of hammered steel echoed even from a distance. As he drew closer to the facility, the smog grew dense, obscuring the blue sky and triggering memories of his previous life on the harsh streets of Melthorn City.

A strange sense of nostalgia washed over him. Even though these were technically the memories of the original Kyle that he had fused with, they felt indistinguishable from his own experiences.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts to better observe his new environment.

Beyond the factory they were approaching, he spotted the mid-sized airship that had brought him here. It was currently moored at a nearby dockyard alongside three similar vessels undergoing maintenance and repainting. The Vermont Academy logo was clearly visible on the hull, confirming he wasn't mistaken about his location.

Kyle recognized it as a mid-sized craft because he had once seen a massive airship, the size of a sprawling castle, soaring over Melthorn City. Compared to that behemoth, the airships in the dockyard weren't even half the size.

Turning his gaze in the opposite direction, Kyle saw a massive fortress—or perhaps a castle—which he assumed was the Academy itself.

'Now… what is going to happen to me?' Kyle wondered silently. He was being carted toward the industrial zone outside the main castle walls.

The factory was likely situated far from the student areas due to the heavy pollution it produced. Nearby stood a row of large residential buildings that felt eerily abandoned; despite their size, no children played outside and no pedestrians walked the streets. The entire area felt desolate.

He considered that his perception might be skewed by his viewing angle or the disorienting noise vibrating from the factory, but the sense of unease remained. Kyle contemplated leaping from the cart, yet the surrounding path looked ominous. Aside from the laborers at the distant docks, he saw no one.

The only atmosphere was the constant pounding of metal and the dark plumes rising from the chimneys.

Creak. Creak. Creak.

Suddenly, the group of three carts split up. One turned toward a small gate leading to the eastern wing of the Academy castle, while another headed for the residential sector. His cart, however, continued its grim journey toward the factory.

'Oh no…'

The sound of approaching footsteps caused Kyle to hold his breath. Uncertain if he was in immediate danger, he had no plan for how to react. Peering ahead, he saw a burly middle-aged man and a teenage boy, both seemingly factory workers, watching the cart approach.

They avoided staring directly at the vehicle, likely unsettled by the zombie that was pulling it. Because Kyle remained perfectly still, they failed to realize he was actually conscious.

As they passed, Kyle caught the teenager whispering in a hushed tone.

"Are those Academy students who died out there? They look even younger than I am..."

The older man shook his head solemnly in response.

"They are just another group who failed the Academy's assessment. Do you recall that black potion I warned you about?"

"Yes… you told me never to touch it."

"Mhmm… that is the Darkness Possession Potion. If you let your curiosity win, you'll end up just like them," the man said, nudging the boy to keep moving. They only had a thirty-minute break and couldn't afford to linger.

Kyle felt this might be his best chance to escape. Those two seemed like "normal" people who might offer assistance. He looked at the zombie—or whatever horrific creature was pulling them—and tensed his muscles to jump, shifting the limbs covering him to get into position.

Just then, a voice spoke from right beside him.

"One of them is still alive? Did Lesley make a mistake, or is this just a delayed reaction? How intriguing…"

Without Kyle even sensing his approach, a man in a weathered brown coat and fitted trousers stood watching him. The stranger was talking to himself, his presence so well-hidden that he seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

'No…'

Kyle found his gaze trapped by a pair of eyes as clear as blue sapphires. His mind began to feel clouded and sluggish. He struggled to think of a way out. The zombie stopped the cart instantly upon the man's arrival. Terrified of what was coming next, Kyle managed a weak greeting.

"Hello there…"

"Mhmm… I can sense the Darkness Possession has finished its work in your body. Your life force is faint, but in your current state, you could certainly be accepted…" the mysterious man remarked.

He stroked his beard thoughtfully, weighing his options. Kyle never got the chance to introduce himself, nor did the man bother to ask his name. Instead, he simply gave an order to the zombie laborers.

"It will cause trouble for Lesley if this one joins the ceremony… Take him to Mr. Heinz instead. He will deal with him."

Kyle opened his mouth to protest, but he was silenced by a sudden display of magic. The man, who had been casually scratching his beard, suddenly summoned a cane and tapped it against the ground.

With a dull thud, a strand of Kyle’s own shadow stretched out and touched the tip of the cane before snapping back to its original position. While it wasn't painful, the sensation of his shadow being manipulated was deeply unsettling.

"It is a standard procedure…"

The man offered a flash of a perfect white smile before vanishing into thin air.