Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy Chapter 1197: Secrets of the Towers

Lisa attempted to fight back, but her limbs grew heavy and a creeping numbness took hold of her body. Within moments, dark shadows coiled around her like silken threads, pinning her firmly in place.

She tried to gasp, but her voice was trapped; she felt as though she were being encased in some sort of cocoon...

Her life force suddenly ebbed, yet it simultaneously grew more concentrated, manifesting as a deep crimson shell around her form. This aura solidified rapidly until she was completely trapped within a shell of blood and shadow, just as she had suspected...

"This…"

Just as the realization of what was occurring dawned on her, she drifted into a deep unconsciousness.

Though Lisa remained unaware, the Tower had initiated a process of metamorphosis for her...

Her very essence was being rewritten, and her bloodline was undergoing a profound refinement. The Dark Arts Tower was nourishing her with its own power, forging her into a superior being.

Inside that cocoon, her pulse slowed until it beat in perfect synchronization with the rhythmic thrum of the Tower itself.

Lisa the Vampire Immortal was transitioning into something entirely new, a creature born from the Tower's very core.

***

Meanwhile, on the outside, the students who had been forcibly ejected gathered in a state of total confusion.

"This isn't a simple shutdown… the Tower literally kicked us out!" one senior student shouted, his hand tight around his Staff.

"I've trained here for years. The Tower never rejects a person unless they fail the trial. But we didn't fail!" another student argued.

A younger apprentice looked on with terror. "Does this mean… someone inside triggered something? Could the Tower be sentient?"

"Impossible… But if a person did trigger this… it likely means they broke the mechanism," a First-Class Dark Mage whispered.

"Even so, that shouldn't be possible. I’ve heard that even Immortals lack the power to destroy this tower..."

The assembly grew increasingly restless as voices clashed against one another.

However, beneath the frustration, a sense of dread began to take root.

"Wait… what if something has gone wrong inside?"

"Is it about to collapse?"

"No… look at it. The aura has vanished. It's as if the Tower itself has fallen into a deep sleep."

The volume of the crowd rose, and panic began to ripple through the ranks.

"Summon the professors!" someone yelled.

"Yes, get the Student Council! They’ll understand what’s happening."

"If the Tower is compromised, we're all in trouble. It’s the very foundation of our Dark Arts training!"

Before long, the professors arrived, their robes fluttering as they rushed toward the sealed structure. They inspected the Tower and attempted to use their granted authority to force the entrance open, but their efforts were futile.

"This… this is completely unprecedented," muttered Professor Dalton, who was the first to reach the scene.

"The Tower has never expelled every student simultaneously," Professor Zeno noted, his brow furrowed in concern.

"Something within has shifted. Wait… what about Lady Lisa? She was supposed to have entered the tower several days ago. I haven't heard any reports of her exit."

This observation came from Professor Lenora of the Elementary Spirit Law class.

As expected, no one could provide an answer.

It suggested that Lisa was either still trapped within the Tower or had departed without being noticed by anyone…

Regardless, the students crowded around, shouting questions at the faculty.

"Professor, what is happening?"

"Why are we barred from entry?"

"Is there danger?"

"What about the Academic Points we spent?"

"Exactly! We still had time remaining on our clocks!"

The professors traded worried looks.

"We have yet to determine the cause…" Professor Zeno confessed. "But whatever has transpired… it wasn't an accident. The Tower chose this specific moment…"

The students fell silent at his words.

"Regarding your points, they will be fully refunded. Do not fret over that. For now, you must retreat from the area in case of an unpredictable event. The Shadow Pillars will maintain a perimeter," Professor Dalton announced.

The Shadow Pillars were a group of elite Dark Arts Practitioners. This organization within the Shadow Domain had been established by Vale himself to safeguard his lands… They typically operated from the darkness, away from public view, and rarely made appearances in the light.

Even now, Dalton and the other faculty members could sense their presence lurking as they monitored the Dark Arts Tower.

Furthermore, rumors existed regarding the Shadow Sentinels—beings hailing from the Shadow Realm who had been confined within the Tower. They should have been released by now, watching the unfolding situation from the periphery.

If a true crisis had emerged, they would have already alerted Vale. The Academy was the only location beyond their immediate control, after all.

Under instructions, the crowd eventually complied…

They could do nothing but stare at the Dark Arts Tower and its immovable, sealed doors…

Deep inside, Lisa remained within her cocoon, completely oblivious to the turmoil she had caused outside.

***

A few minutes later, once the students had been cleared out and only a handful of professors remained, one of Vale’s Avatars finally arrived. His arrival brought an immediate hush to the group of scholars.

The Avatar’s eyes swept over the sealed Tower, his gaze seemingly attempting to pierce through its walls...

He had sensed the disturbance from a distance and hurried over, yet even he was in the dark regarding the specific cause.

"The Tower… has locked itself. How intriguing…"

The professors bowed their heads slightly, showing respect for his authority.

Professor Dalton stepped forward. "Lord Vale… everyone was expelled without any prior warning. The Tower has sealed its doors, and none of our techniques can reopen them."

The Avatar gave a slow nod. He was privy to a truth that few others understood. While the Dark Arts Tower was presented as a training facility, it was far more complex. It was one of the sixteen Towers Vale had retrieved from the Prison Realm, each possessing enigmatic properties that even Vale had not fully deciphered.

The Avatar’s eyes focused on the ancient runes carved into the Tower’s exterior. "Perhaps… this is the first time one of them has decided to show its true form."

Vale spoke those words softly, yet the Professors heard him clearly.

They began to whisper among themselves with nervous energy.

"Reveal its nature?"

"Does that imply it possesses a will?"

"Or… has it selected someone?"

Given that the Tower was built for trials, they couldn't help but speculate that a participant had successfully passed a hidden test.

The Avatar offered no confirmation, as he was merely theorizing himself. Nonetheless, it would not be shocking if that were the reality of the situation.

Perhaps the Tower had finally recognized one of the challengers within…

"Wait… Lisa should have gone into this tower a few days ago…"