Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy

"Wrath, your perception is as formidable as the legends say. I come at the behest of our Demon Lord..." Kyle said.

As he spoke, a subtle aura of Corrupted Divinity radiated from him, the final touch to his elaborate masquerade.

The Corrupted Divinity that he showed wasn't too weak or too strong… It was simply enough to remove any possible suspicions of the Deadly Sin.

Well, with his appearance, now infused with demonic essence and corrupted divinity, Kyle believed that his transformation was flawless, even under the scrutinous gaze of Wrath.

"A Demon Saint, is it? You're not among the elite or single-digit Demon Saints that I recognize. A new recruit, then? Ahh… Right… Many of your kind have fallen to the Shadow Immortal…" Wrath remarked casually while turning away with disinterest.

Kyle wryly smiled after hearing this since the Shadow Immortal that the Deadly Sin was talking about was standing in front of him.

Nonetheless, Wrath suddenly removed his cloak. It doesn't seem like he was on guard against Kyle, the Demon Saint.

He also appeared to be returning to his resting spot… He didn't think that Kyle was any threat at all!

This was definitely a good sign.

Anyway, now that Kyle had gotten closer, he was finally able to observe his appearance.

'Mhmm…'

As Wrath discarded his cloak, the true extent of his formidable presence was revealed to Kyle.

The Sin of Wrath stood with an imposing stature, his form humanoid yet imbued with an aura that was not human or evil…

It felt more like an existence closely similar to the Messengers that Kyle had met before…

'Right, it's definitely a Messenger's aura…' Kyle thought as he observed the Deadly Sin.

His skin was a bit too red for a human. He was like a living embodiment of the fury that coursed through his veins. Nonetheless, it was smooth and seemed to ripple with each movement, as if flames danced just beneath the surface.

His eyes were like molten gold, burning with an intensity that could sear the soul. The pupils were slit, reminiscent of a serpent's, hinting at the deadly precision with which he observed the world around him.

'Incredible… It doesn't feel like a disguise at all… I think this is actually the true appearance of the Deadly Sin.' Kyle thought.

Wrath's hair was a mane of jet-black strands, falling in a wild cascade over his broad shoulders. It seemed to absorb the light around him, a stark contrast to the vibrant glow of his skin.

Adorning his body were markings that glowed with an eerie crimson light. These marks ran along his arms and chest, converging at a sigil that lay over his heart—a sigil that was the very embodiment of Wrath…

Thud…

In his hand, he held a scepter that was a masterpiece of craftsmanship. It was wrought from a metal that seemed to shift in color with each flicker of the cavern's light. The head of the scepter was fashioned in the likeness of a snarling beast, its eyes set with rubies that matched Wrath's own gaze.

"Are you done observing me, Demon Saint? I guess this is your first time seeing someone who could rival the Demon Lord. How is it?" Wrath said with a chuckle.

Although there was a bit of exaggeration in his words, it doesn't change the fact that the Demon Lord could not kill or control the seven Deadly Sins.

Anyway, he could tell that Kyle was observing him, but he wasn't on guard. It was natural to be curious with a powerful being. He even allowed Kyle to take his time examining him.

Well, once the Demon Saint learned more about his power, he believed that there might be a chance that he'd get another Demon Saint follower!

He wouldn't mind having another one!

Kyle's heart raced, though his face remained impassive.

'The disguise holds…' Kyle thought in relief after hearing the Deadly Sin's words.

"So… Why has the Demon Lord sent you? Does he persist in his futile commands for me to seek out the Spirit King's chosen?" Wrath inquired, a note of irritation in his voice.

The way he spoke had also changed. He was now using an ancient language, and luckily, Kyle was able to extract memory fragments that allowed him to understand him.

'Ah? What?'

Kyle was then taken aback by the mention of the Spirit King's chosen or blessed. However, he quickly composed a response.

"No, Wrath. My mission here is of a different nature. The Demon Lord seeks an alliance, not servitude. He believes that together, we can find a way to harness the power of the Spirit King's blessing for our mutual benefit. We just have to work together and find the chosen…"

Wrath paused, considering the proposition. "An alliance, you say? Intriguing. Are you telling me the Demon Lord is willing to share the power of the Spirit King's chosen? If I'm not mistaken, he had been searching for it for a very long time."

This time, Kyle didn't reply and remained silent.

After a few moments, Wrath continued.

"Very well, Demon Saint, we shall see if your words hold truth. I must benefit from the Spirit King's power. But be warned, I do not suffer fools or traitors. I will try to seek the Spirit King's chosen with the help of my followers. I have my own method of doing that. However, I'll only cover the nation surrounding me… If the Spirit King's chosen is not there, you can't blame me."

Wrath said after some thought.

In the end, Wrath didn't want to be enemies with the Demon Lord either. Continuously disobeying him might really create a tear in their relationship. Finding the blessed and taking part in its benefit was also a good thing for him.

'The Spirit King's chosen, huh… I wonder who that is. Right, how are they going to find him? Wait, is the Spirit King's chosen the same person with the power of Extraction that the Demon Lord was saying?' Kyle thought as he felt that he had just completed a puzzle.

'Does it mean that the first Human Celestial is also Blessed by the Spirit King? Is that the reason why the Abyss Realm invaded a part of the Spirit World as well?' Kyle sighed at this thought.

Anyway, Kyle still nodded to the Deadly Sin.

He finally knew the reason why his realm was being invaded, and now, he just had to do something about it, either by killing them all or by sending them back and cutting off the connection of the Abyss Realm to the Human Realm.

'It's time to leave…' Kyle thought as he spoke..

"I'll inform the Demon Lord." He then turned around to leave the place.

However, Kyle had barely taken a few steps towards the cavern's exit when Wrath's voice halted him, echoing with a challenge that vibrated through the very air.

"Since you're here… How about a duel?" The Deadly Sin suddenly proposed, his tone laced with a desire to demonstrate his formidable prowess.

Kyle turned, his disguise as a Demon Saint still intact, to face Wrath.

He was unsure whether Wrath had already realized his disguise or perhaps this was simply Wrath's natural behavior…

Well, it wasn't that surprising, considering he was Wrath.

The atmosphere suddenly became colder as the red crystals of the cavern pulsing in rhythm with the rising tension.

"A duel?" Kyle feigned surprise, though inwardly he was calculating his next move.

"It would be an honor to witness the might of Wrath firsthand." He finally said after some thought.

Wrath's lips curled into a smirk, pleased by the acceptance.

"Excellent. I wish to show you the true power that you could serve in the future. Hahaha! Follow me."

With a grand gesture, Wrath waved his hand and it seemed as if he summoned a Rift!

It happened too quickly and Kyle wasn't prepared at all.

Zzzzzttt~

The space beside Wrath was opened to reveal the Rift that was surely leading to the Abyss Realm. Kyle couldn't mistake it since he had been here before!

The Rift exuded a malevolent energy, its edges flickering with dark flames.

'Right… I can't back out now…' Kyle then stepped through after Wrath, finding himself in a desolate landscape that bore the scars of eternal conflict.

The ground was a mosaic of blackened earth and rivers of lava, the sky was filled with swirling dark clouds and streaks of crimson lightning. Monstrous silhouettes loomed in the distance, their roars and howls a constant undercurrent to the realm's oppressive atmosphere.

However, Wrath was simply looking at Kyle curiously.

"Ho~ You're not rejected by the Abyss Realm… I guess you're really a Demon Saint, huh… My instinct today is really bad." Wrath said with a laugh.

It appears that Wrath still had suspicions even with his perfect disguise!

Kyle was happy because Avatar had already been to the Abyss Realm once, and his corrupted divinity had probably helped him stabilize quickly.