Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy

Chapter 962: Smiling Clone

The Chaos Copies also seemed to know who their target was.

They didn’t shuffle and rushed to their original figures...

Armin’s double wielded Chaos-infused Dark Arts.

The spells seemed to warp the surroundings mid-cast and formed a very nasty dark spell...

The simple Ghost Hand seemed to have become a terrifying hand with eight fingers, and there was even a mouth on its palms!

’This...’ Armin couldn’t help but feel a bit shocked after seeing this spell.

However, there was also another thought in his mind...

’Can I copy that spell?’

Well, the mutated Ghost Hand looked really strong and could probably hold its target a lot stronger with those eight fingers.

On the other hand, the others also encountered mutated or Chaos-Infused spells...

Aiden barely managed to block a runic blast that erased part of his sleeve from existence.

”This... Let’s finish this quickly... I’ve been using my Phantasm State for 5 minutes already... I only have 14 minutes more. If I can’t kill it in time, I’ll use my strongest rune, so everyone should keep their distance from me.” He said with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

As a matter of fact, all of them have less than 30 minutes in their Phantasm State. There was no way around it since they were still considered quite young, and they were unlike Vale, who had the ability to extract and get stronger faster.

Thankfully, however, their Magic Zones were all about 40 to 50 meters.

It means that they wouldn’t have to get closer to their enemies...

This range of Magic Zone would be considered very high, about five years ago. However, ever since the Philosopher’s Elixirs and various Enhancing Potions from the Shadow Domain had spread throughout the whole world, the level of Arcanists of today had already improved.

However, right now, it was only considered above average for their age.

Perhaps, if they focused on one Arcane Path, the range could be higher.

In any case, everyone started doing their best to win against their copies...

At this time, Mira found an issue or a huge flaw in her copy.

”They’re weak to their own flaws! My copy hesitates before striking!” She couldn’t explain it clearer, but she knew that her team would understand.

Indeed, Rehan took the hint. When his bone-dagger-wielding copy attacked, he feinted left with his Dark Energy—and the copy overcommitted, its own weapon was then impaled in the ground.

Rehan smiled at this as he drove his blade into its back. At first, he really wanted to fight this copy with his own Spells. However, he realized that if he did that, the copy would also cast a Spell... That was why he fought with his weapon instead.

Although the copy would still cast Spells from time to time, the frequency would be lower.

Just like that, the copy dissolved into smoke.

One by one, they adapted, exploited the cracks in their own reflections—until only Armin’s double remained.

It was surprising since Armin was supposedly the strongest in their group...

”This...” Rehan muttered.

”Your clone is a bit too strong! Maybe it awakened your hidden potential?!” Mira commented as she looked at Armin’s opponent...

It was using three Spells at once, and Armin was barely holding on. If not for the help of his Artifact, he might have been defeated at this point!

”What in the world...” Ely couldn’t help but comment after seeing Armin’s clone.

Armin’s Chaos Copy was a nightmare...

Three spells spun around it simultaneously—an Eight-Fingered Hand with palm-mouths, a Darkfire Serpent, and a shrieking ghost that distorted sound into physical blades.

If she were to make a guess, the first spell was supposed to be a Ghost Hand Spell. Then, the DarkFire Serpent should be a Dark Chain Spell, and the last one could be the Necromancer Path’s Wailing Ghost.

Well, Ely knew that Armin wasn’t just practicing two branches of Dark Arts like everyone else.

Instead, Armin actually practices four of them!

They were the Rituals Branch, Dark Alchemy Branch, Necromancy Branch, and lastly, the Malefic Branch that Vale had established together with Lady Denise.

For a moment, they forgot to help.

They watched as Armin barely dodged. His artifact—a shadow-forged bracer—activated as it absorbed a glancing hit.

Sweat dripped down his temple as he realized that his copy felt like it was cheating. It felt as if it was also using various Artifacts!

’This thing isn’t just copying me. It’s evolving.’ Armin thought...

This time, Rehan knew that they had to do something.

”Alright, new plan. We gang up on that clone!”

”Right... Armin, we’ll help you!”

Mira then started first. She decided to use the Artifact from her mother...

Soon, holy light appeared, disrupting the surrounding Chaos Energy...

Whom~

”Lux Aeterna!” She chanted.

Just like that, despite not being a Holy Arts Practitioner, she was able to trigger the activation of the Artifact thanks to her mother’s arrangement.

Soon, chains of golden light erupted from her palms, wrapping around the copy’s legs. The holy energy sizzled against the Chaos Clone, forcing it to stagger.

”Ten seconds! And I can’t use this again!” Mira reminded that this artifact could indeed only work once a day.

”Holy and Chaos don’t mix—it’s destabilizing it! Great!” Ely shouted.

The clone struggled and ripped the chains apart, but the effort cost it—the Ghost Hand flickered out of existence!

Thanks to that, Armin felt a lot better. Now, he only had to focus on the shrieking ghost that constantly ate up his defense!

”Burn!” Armin shouted as he released his Black Fire Spell!

It was a branch-exclusive spell of the Dark Alchemy Branch!

With the Black Fire Spell, the shrieking ghost seemed to have felt the danger and immediately kept its distance from Armin!

”You’re not getting away!”

In the meantime, the others focused on the clone.

Ely noticed that her Phantasm State was only 3 minutes left, so she swiftly moved and held her Cursed Daggers and aimed for the clone’s throat after using Dark Sole Steps!

As she was cornering the clone, Aiden’s Rune Bomb also came in time, blocking the Clone’s path to escape!

Ely then knew that it was time to end this...

However, before she could do so, Armin’s Clone smiled at her!