Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy

The two Time Manipulators took quite some time to make a decision and this hesitation irritated the two Dragons.

With a voice that reverberated through the chamber like thunder, Orden demanded…

"Speak, mortals!"

Jin jolted as he quickly replied.

"We're looking for the Golden Key that the Shadow Immortal had taken in the remnants of the Celestial Realm…"

This answer stopped the Dragons momentarily as if they were verifying whether it was the truth or not… They're True Sight Spells worked repeatedly as they observed the subtle movements of the Time Manipulators.

"Mhmm… The Golden Key… What quest drives you to seek the Golden Key, what can it do?"

Jin and Giorgi exchanged a wary glance, knowing that the truth they held within their hearts could no longer remain concealed in the face of the Dragon's commanding gaze.

Steeling themselves against the pressure of Orden's scrutiny, they revealed the sacred purpose that lay at the heart of their mission…

"The Golden Key," Jin began, his voice steady despite the weight of the Dragon's presence, "is not merely a relic of forgotten lore or a trinket of material wealth. It is said to be the key to unlocking the doorway to the Divine Realm, a gateway to transcendence and godhood beyond the Celestial Realm."

The two Dragons weren't too impressed as they were aware of the Divine Realm, which was higher than the Dragon Realm. However, the Divine Realm was not a place that most Immortals or Celestials could ever reach.

After all, it was said to be the first-ever Realm to have been formed… It was the oldest place that had ever existed. Furthermore, no one even knew how to enter this Realm, and they only heard about it from those who had shared stories about their so-called chance of meeting some people who had entered that place before.

Of course, it wasn't surprising that such a place existed since something must have an origin, and that place was likely the origin of all things.

The two Dragons then glanced at Jin's companion to confirm his claim.

Giorgi nodded in agreement, his expression resolute as he continued, "Legends speak of the Golden Key as a conduit to the powers of creation itself, a symbol of balance and harmony that holds the potential to reshape---Ahem… I think it's not important to explain how it works. In any case, its true nature remains shrouded in mystery… We're just aware that the previous Celestial King used this key to enter the Divine Realm based on the records we've found."

"Yes… You should know that the researchers of our domain use Time Magic as well. You can fully trust what they say as they could verify it through various means."

As the words hung in the air, a profound silence descended upon the chamber, broken only by the steady thrum of draconic energy that pulsed through the surroundings.

Orden regarded Jin and Giorgi with curiosity and contemplation, his gaze piercing through the veils of time and space to glimpse the depths of their intentions.

***

Meanwhile, outside the castle, as the battle between Kyle and the formidable Demon Lord Bael raged on, the surroundings crackled with arcane energy and the clash of Divinity and Corrupted one...

Kyle, fueled by the power of the Temporal Timepiece and his mastery over Celestial Arts, unleashed a flurry of Astral Chains that sought to ensnare Bael and bind him in ethereal shackles.

This time, however, he decided to cast it in the traditional way… With this method, he was able to strengthen his Spelling by more than 30%!

"Astral Chains, bind thee fast,

In celestial light, hold thee cast.

From the stars above, to the earth below,

Ensnare the darkness, let holy light show."

Kyle didn't really like using incantations to cast his spells. However, with his Temporal Timepiece, he was able to buy plenty of time in order to chant spells!

The chains wrapped around Bael, their grip was tight and could not be corrupted by the Demon Lord's powers. As a matter of fact, he tried removing his fourth limiter as well but Kyle didn't allow him to do that and used Spell Dispersion to destroy any accumulating energy around the Demon Lord's body!

It didn't end there.

Kyle raised his hand, a radiant orb of light forming above his palm. This was the Holy Smite, a Holy Spell that was in the raw form…

With a shout, Kyle hurled the orb toward Bael, it was like a comet of purifying flame!

Whoosh~

But before the Holy Smite could find its mark, the waters within the whole forest stirred.

At this time, a new presence emerged, one that commanded the very essence of the sea!

Halvor, the Eminence of the Sea, appeared!

In his hands, he wielded a trident that glowed with the power of the ocean's depths.

With a sweep of his trident, Halvor summoned a tidal wave—a barrier of surging water that intercepted Kyle's Holy Smite.

The impact was cataclysmic, steam hissing as divine fire met ocean might. The forest shook and trees bent beneath the force of their confrontation.

Boom!

Bael, momentarily spared, grinned wickedly.

"Halvor," he said, his voice a growl of amusement. "I didn't expect the sea to come to my aid."

Halvor's gaze was unfathomable, his voice the rumble of the deep. "Your battle disturbs the balance," he said. "I cannot allow the Immortal to claim victory this day."

Kyle, undeterred, prepared for another assault. He had been aware of Halvor's presence.

He just didn't expect that the Eminence of the Sea would act at this moment. He thought that Halvor would just show himself once he found an opening to kill him.

"So you're not using the Demon Lord as your bait anymore?" Kyle said with a chuckle as he waved his hand.

His Astral Chains tightened, and it was aimed at killing the Demon Lord once and for all. He still couldn't extract the Demon Lord for some reason, so he might as well kill him.

However, Halvor was ready. With a thrust of his trident, he shattered the chains, freeing Bael from their celestial grip.

'Tsk…'

The Demon Lord rose, his wounds healing in an instant.

"This isn't over, Immortal," he hissed. "We will meet again."

And with that, Bael vanished into the shadows, his laughter echoing through the forest. Kyle stood, his fists clenched, as Halvor turned to face him.

Kyle actualy used his Temporal Timepiece to contain the space and time of the area and stop any teleportation or any escape technique.

However, the Demon Lord's Avatar used a spell that he couldn't understand…

'As expected of an Ancient Being... He knew something that I can't even comprehend.' Kyle sighed as he decided to just fight the deity in front of him.

However, as Halvor was prepared to fight, he paused for a moment as if he realized something. If Kyle would make a guess, Halvor actually received a message from the Demon Lord through telepathy!

After all, his face suddenly changed, and he glanced at the castle before taking a deep breath.

"The sea is vast, Immortal," Halvor said. "It holds secrets you cannot fathom. Beware the tides—they can be both salvation and doom. We will meet soon…"

With a final nod, Halvor, too, disappeared, leaving Kyle alone in the forest clearing.

The battle was over, and Kyle felt extremely frustrated.

'No I can still chase Halvor… The Demon Lord probably left for the Abyss by now… However, I can still sense Halvor…' Kyle thought as he could feel the rough location of the deity…

However, as he thought of chasing after this deity… He was suddenly informed about the presence of two Time Manipulators in his castle!

"Time Manipulators?"

The revelation of intruders within his domain would have infuriated any other ruler, but for Kyle, it sparked a different reaction.

His eyes gleamed with anticipation, not of a battle, but of opportunity!

"New slaves," he mused, the corners of his mouth turning up in a sly grin. The idea of bending the will of Time Manipulators to his own was too enticing to pass up. They possessed abilities that, if controlled, could serve his grand designs.

Kyle used his Presence Shift Spell and quickly arrived within the Dragon's Chamber…

There, they saw the two Time Manipulators bound by the Draconic Pressure!

Kyle didn't even bother extracting them, as he could always to do once they were caught by his Spell!

"Why are you here—No, you can explain things to me later…" Kyle said as he activated one of his Spell Models, Slave Mark!

It was one of his Spirit Arts that could enslave even the most willful of beings.

"You!" Jin and Darious's eyes widened as they realized what kind of Spell they were facing right now!

The air around Kyle remained calm but the minds of the two became chaotic as they tried to defend against such a terrifying Mind Spell!

"You can't do this to us!" Darius shouted as he mustered all of his strength!