Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy

Eustace heard the old man's words, but he casually brushed it off.

Instead, he focused on strategizing the most effective spell to use in the impending confrontation. He was contemplating using his potent Aurora's Beam and assorted spell combinations.

However, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Yvaine's urgent reminder of the encroaching Arcanists from the city's central district.

'Right… I don't have much time…'

With a resigned sigh, Eustace acknowledged the need to depart.

"We shall settle this another day. By the way, what should I call you, old man?" Eustace inquired, extending an offer of a future encounter.

The old gentleman, momentarily amused, sneered dismissively in response.

"My name is of no consequence. Know only that you stand before an Archbishop of the Church of the Fortune Goddess." He declared, his tone laden with the aura of holiness.

As he spoke, the Archbishop's staff disintegrated into a cascade of luminous particles, coalescing to form an expansive dome that dwarfed the black spheres or domes employed by the Vessels in previous encounters.

"Now, you have nowhere to run." The Archbishop proclaimed with full confidence.

Eustace surveyed the imposing barrier with a nod of acknowledgment. He could tell that this was indeed stronger than the Black Dome he had seen before. It was probably due to the Artifact that the old man used as a sacrifice.

"Alright… Let me attempt to breach it…" He murmured, shifting his gaze to Yvaine. "Keep the old man occupied."

With a nod of understanding, Yvaine unleashed a relentless assault, conjuring a myriad of darkness-forged blades aimed at the Archbishop.

Meanwhile, Eustace harnessed his divinity points once more, invoking the formidable power of his Aurora's Embrace.

As the Celestial Art unfurled, an ethereal spectacle unfolded, as countless luminous strands merged into a singular focal point before being unleashed upon the barrier.

Although the Archbishop was dealing with the Dark Blades conjured by Yvaine, he didn't fail to notice the strange phenomenon that the Masked Devil Incarnate triggered.

'Strange… I'm starting to doubt whether this person is really from the Vermont Family. Did I make a mistake? How could he use such a powerful spell without incantation or sacrifice?' The Archbishop frowned as he knew that gathering such a powerful Arcane Energy shouldn't be so quick!

The Masked Devil Incarnate had easily summoned such a power in less than 5 seconds!

Boom!

As the Archbishop struck his palm to dissipate the Dark Blades aimed at him, a resounding explosion reverberated as the Celestial Art collided with the barrier, sending shockwaves rippling through the dome.

'It resisted…'

The Archbishop silently thought after seeing the dome's resilience against the enemy's assault.

However, it was just a momentary relief, as the Masked Devil Incarnate swiftly soared toward the dome's edge, catching the old man off guard with his astonishing speed and agility.

"What's with that Spell?!"

The incredible acceleration rate of the Masked Devil's movement technique left the old man scarcely able to react in time.

"Such remarkable agility—is it really a movement spell? No, it must be a Sovereign Artifact!" He pondered aloud while backing away as he sought to gain some distance from the Dark Spirit's attacks.

His vexation mounted as he grappled not only with the enigmatic Masked Devil, but also with the annoying Dark Spirit, who was impervious to his Holy Aura.

Furthermore, this female spirit was using disconcerting, ghost-like movements that could never be copied by humans.

The Dark Spirit was unpredictable as it used a shifting movement that could even pass through obstacles. He had wasted four Spells already!

Frustrated by the entity's elusiveness, the old man considered the prospect of unleashing a formidable burst of his Holy Energy to subdue it. It was the Sacred Burst Spell that could target a large area.

However, he hesitated, deeming it an excessive expenditure of his Holy Aura for a solitary Dark Spirit.

There would be too much Holy Energy that would hit nothing but air with that spell.

Amidst the internal deliberation on which one of the 16 Spells he could use, an explosion resounded through the air, followed by the shattering sound of the dome!

Boom!

Upon witnessing the dome's shattering, the Archbishop swiftly realized that apprehending the Masked Devil Incarnate would prove to be an arduous task.

The astonishing flying speed he had just witnessed a while ago far surpassed his own ability. Unlike Eustace's remarkable flying spell, it was only allowed for limited mobility within a confined area.

'I should have brought those two…'

Regret tinged the Archbishop's ruminations as he lamented not having brought his acolytes along. However, he recalled how he had hastened to the scene upon sensing the potent aura unleashed by the Moonlight Specters… He really didn't have the time to take them.

Well, his initial belief was that the aura released by the Specters came from the Demonic Beings that the Cult, or the disruptive Order of Fatality, had summoned.

Whoosh~

True to his expectations, the Masked Devil Incarnate swiftly vanished into the sky, leaving no discernible traces of his aura in his wake.

Even the enigmatic Dark Spirit had vanished without a trace. Despite the Archbishop's efforts to extend his Divine Sense in search of residual arcane energies, his endeavors proved futile, yielding no tangible leads.

"Such a cautious individual…" He muttered as his gaze shifted to the Arcanists who had just arrived.

These people have seen a small figure vanishing into the sky. It was so quick that they thought it was a cannonball for a moment.

"Sir, was that man your companion? Can you tell us what treasure you've taken from here?" An Elementalist among the group asked the old man bravely.

However, another person behind him held his shoulder.

This person was an excommunicated priest and immediately recognized the Archbishop.

"That's enough. That man is an Archbishop of the Church of the Fortune Goddess… Let's not get involved in this. He must be exorcising some evil entity and caused the descent of the Heavenly Lightning."

The Archbishop simply smiled as soon as he heard this and silently walked to the city.

***

While Eustace soared away, a figure swiftly closed the distance and caught up to him—a blue-haired lady, none other than Constance.

"Hey! Why are you leaving without me?" Constance queried, her tone laced with curiosity and concern.

"Did you not sense me fighting against a monster? That city is dangerous. I have to find a safer place," Eustace responded, casting a gaze upon Constance.

This mysterious person was also difficult to sense. It was only thanks to the divinity that he shared that he was barely able to sense her.

"Then let's go back to the city! It's a better hiding place! They shouldn't think that you've returned to that place!"