Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy Chapter 1163 1163: Stolen

The figure watching them from the shadows remained undetected, even by Vale's keen senses.

His attention was entirely fixed on the monster standing before him…

'Ember King… An entity like you shouldn't exist in this place…' Vale thought to himself, moving with a speed that surpassed any Sword Expert the onlookers had ever witnessed.

With a swift motion, his sword sliced through the Ember King's flames, shattering the fire into a cloud of drifting sparks…

'Let's test the strength of this…' Vale released his aura, letting it ripple outward to create a protective barrier. It successfully shielded the nearby mercenaries from the oncoming heat. Though his aura possessed a mysterious quality, it functioned exactly as he had intended…

Despite this, the King intensified its assault.

Molten lava erupted from its chest, transforming into a massive wave of fire that threatened to consume Vale and everyone standing behind him…

"Now!" Ilya bellowed…

"Support him!"

By now, Ilya had confirmed the Fire Stone was present! Their only remaining task was to slaughter this Ember King and clear the path!

Immediately, the Alchemists began throwing their vials of water essence… Cold mist exploded upon contact, clashing against the roaring torrent of flames!

Simultaneously, the revolvers roared in a synchronized volley!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Runic bullets tore through the King's liquid-metal body with ease.

However, Ilya's gaze remained fixed on Vale. He intended for this enigmatic Sword Expert to take the brunt of the combat, hoping to force the man to reveal his true capabilities.

Ilya could sense that Vale was holding back his genuine power, and a seed of worry grew in his mind that the Sword Expert might steal the Fire Stone for himself.

Vale, meanwhile, paid no mind to Ilya's schemes…

Even though he noticed the faint look of satisfaction in the man's expression, Vale continued his relentless sword strikes against the Ember King.

'So… do you belong to the Order of Fatality?' Vale wondered. Ilya's true identity was his only real concern.

His aura began to darken as traces of Dark Energy started leaking from his frame… Though he maintained his disguise as a Sword Expert, the reality of his nature began to bleed onto the field of battle.

Utilizing this Dark Energy, his blade accelerated, allowing him to cleave through the Ember King's inferno with even greater ease…

Before long, the Ember King began to falter… While its extreme heat still prevented most from getting close, the Water Essence vials were successfully draining its strength. Combined with Vale parrying every single one of its attacks, the creature stood no chance of victory!

Vale's blade was soon enveloped in a dense sword aura as he readied his finishing blow.

The Ember King, broken and struggling, let out a final, defiant wave of heat, but its molten form was already disintegrating under the group's relentless pressure.

One more strike would have surely ended its life.

But just as Vale's sword swung down, a shield of pure Divinity manifested in front of him.

Bang!

The sound of the collision echoed as his blade struck an invisible wall that refused to budge!

Vale's eyes narrowed at the sight. "What? Is this Divinity?"

He had not expected his blade to be halted so abruptly.

The mercenaries gasped, stumbling backward as the shockwave from Vale's impact against the barrier hit them...

"W-what is happening?!"

"How can an Ember King summon a barrier like that?"

"This shouldn't be possible!"

Even the Master Alchemists stood frozen, sensing something unnatural about the shield. Their vials of Water Essence proved completely useless against it.

This turn of events was entirely unforeseen…

Then, emerging from the swirling smoke, a figure in a cloak appeared.

"An Immortal?!" Ilya cried out in shock!

"We… we didn't intend to trespass on your domain!" Ilya screamed at the top of his lungs, recognizing the presence of Divinity.

The moment he felt that power, he realized this Immortal was actively protecting the Ember King for some unknown reason.

Fortunately, while the presence was overwhelming, it felt oddly controlled. The figure simply raised a hand, and the barrier shimmered with divine light, neutralizing all their attacks without effort…

Before anyone could move, dark shadows began to coil around the Ember King.

The monster let out a shriek as its liquid-fire body was consumed by the darkness.

In a flash, the massive inferno vanished! It was pulled into the void as if it had never been there at all.

"Mhmm? Who is this now?" Vale frowned, watching the cloaked stranger.

It appeared that besides the Golden Immortal Adam, other hidden Immortals were lurking within this realm.

'Why are they only showing up now?' He grumbled internally, finding the aura completely unfamiliar.

The cloaked figure lowered its arm.

For a brief moment, its Divinity washed over the area…

Then, without uttering a single word, it turned and dissolved into the mist, leaving no trail behind.

Vale tightened his grip on his sword hilt.

'Who was that? And why would they save the Ember King?'

He pushed his Divine Sense outward, but the figure's signature had vanished entirely…

The mercenaries began to whisper in terror, knowing they were fortunate to have survived without drawing the entity's wrath.

"An Immortal… here?"

"Why didn't it kill us all?"

"Why would it rescue the Ember King?"

The Master Alchemists appeared visibly rattled… They had come prepared to harvest the Ember King's Mystical Core, but that prize was now out of reach.

Vale, however, remained composed as he sifted through the details.

This wasn't a coincidence. Someone specifically wanted the Ember King to stay alive…

"Let's keep going!" Ilya shouted, choosing to ignore the cloaked figure's appearance.

His eyes were filled with avarice as he sprinted forward.

"The Fire Stone… it has to be here!"

He reached the scorched earth where the Ember King had stood moments before…

But when he grasped his pendant to track the Fire Stone's location, he saw that its light had vanished.

The Fire Stone was gone.

"What?!" Ilya's voice broke in desperation.

He began a frantic search of the area, sending his familiars darting through the remaining smoke.

"No… no, no, no! It was right here! I know it was!"

The mercenaries looked at each other with growing unease. The realization finally dawned on them.

That mysterious Immortal hadn't just taken the Ember King—they had also claimed the legendary Fire Stone!