Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy Chapter 5 Mysterious Man

After some time, Kyle realized he was being transported toward a structure that resembled a massive industrial plant.

Thick black pillars of smoke rose from six towering chimneys, and even from a distance, the rhythmic clanging of hammers striking steel echoed through the air.

The smog intensified as the cart drew closer to the factory. The haze was so dense it nearly obscured the blue sky, triggering a wave of nostalgia for his former life on the streets of Melthorn City.

A strange sense of longing for that city washed over him. Although he had simply merged with the memories of the original Kyle, those experiences felt indistinguishable from his own.

Shaking his head to dispel the distracting thoughts, he began to survey his new environment.

Beyond the looming factory, he spotted the medium-sized airship that had brought him here. It was moored at a nearby shipyard alongside three identical vessels, all of which appeared to be undergoing maintenance and repainting.

The emblem of Vermont Academy was clearly visible on the hull of his ship, confirming his location beyond any doubt.

Kyle estimated it to be a medium-class vessel, having once witnessed a massive large-scale airship—as grand as a floating fortress—soaring over Melthorn City. Compared to that behemoth, the ships in the dockyard were less than half the size.

Turning his gaze in the opposite direction, Kyle saw a sprawling, formidable fortress. This grand castle was undoubtedly the Academy itself.

'What is my fate going to be?' Kyle wondered silently. He was being taken toward the industrial zone located on the outskirts of the castle grounds.

The factory had likely been constructed far from the student quarters due to the heavy pollution it produced. Situated near the facility was a row of large residential blocks, though they appeared eerily vacant. No children played in the yards, and no pedestrians walked the paths. The entire area felt desolate.

He considered that his perspective might be skewed by his low vantage point and the disorienting, constant roar of the factory machinery.

For a moment, Kyle thought about leaping from the cart, but the path ahead seemed daunting. Aside from the dockworkers in the distance, he hadn't seen a single soul.

The world was filled only with the sound of pounding metal and the sight of soot belching from the chimneys.

Creak. Creak. Creak.

Suddenly, the three carts diverged. One turned toward a side gate on the eastern wing of the Academy castle, while another headed toward the housing district.

His own cart, however, continued its grim journey toward the factory.

'This isn't good...'

The sound of approaching footsteps made Kyle’s heart race, and he instinctively held his breath. Uncertain of his status or the danger he was in, he remained paralyzed, unsure of how to react.

Peering ahead, he noticed a burly middle-aged man and a young teenager, likely factory laborers, watching the cart approach.

They didn't linger on their gaze, seemingly unnerved by the sight of the zombie pulling the transport.

Because Kyle remained perfectly still, they failed to realize he was actually conscious.

As they walked past, Kyle caught the teenager’s hushed voice.

"Are those Academy students who died in the field? They look younger than I am..."

The older man shook his head solemnly before replying.

"No, it’s another group that failed the Academy's entrance trials. Do you recall that black elixir I showed you?"

"Yes... You warned me never to lay a finger on it."

"Exactly. That is the Darkness Possession Potion. If you let your curiosity get the better of you, that’s how you’ll end up," the man said, ushering the boy to pick up the pace.

They only had a short thirty-minute break and couldn't afford to linger.

Kyle sensed a potential opportunity to escape. These two seemed like 'normal' people. Perhaps they could assist him in fleeing this place.

He glanced at the zombie—or whatever twisted creature was pulling the cart—and braced himself to jump. He began shifting the limbs of the corpses covering him to find a footing.

But just as he moved, a voice spoke from right beside him.

"Is one of them still breathing? Did Lesley make a blunder? Or perhaps it's just a delayed physiological response? How fascinating..."

Without warning, a man dressed in a weathered brown coat and fitted trousers appeared, observing Kyle while muttering to himself. He was incredibly stealthy; Kyle hadn't detected his presence until he spoke.

'No...'

Kyle’s eyes locked onto a pair of piercing, sapphire-blue eyes. His mind felt suddenly clouded and heavy. He struggled to think of a way out.

The zombie laborer halted the cart the moment the stranger appeared, leaving Kyle at the mercy of the unknown.

"Hello there..." Kyle stammered nervously.

"Hmm... I can sense the Darkness Possession has fully integrated into your system. Your life force is faint, but in your current condition, you could certainly be admitted..." the mysterious man remarked.

He stroked his beard thoughtfully, weighing his options.

Ultimately, Kyle never got the chance to introduce himself, nor did the man bother to ask his name.

The stranger simply turned to the zombie pulling the cart and gave an order.

"It will cause complications for Lesley if he participates in the ceremony. Take him to Mr. Heinz instead. He’ll know how to handle this."

Kyle opened his mouth to protest or ask for clarification, but he was silenced by a sudden display of magic.

The man, who had been scratching his chin just a second ago, produced a cane and tapped it against the ground.

With a dull thud, a sliver of Kyle’s shadow stretched out unnaturally, touching the tip of the cane before snapping back into place.

It wasn't painful, but the sensation of having a piece of his shadow manipulated left him feeling profoundly violated.

"It’s just a standard procedure," the man said.

Flashing a grin that revealed perfectly white teeth, the man vanished into thin air.