Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy

Chapter 1237: The Media

The city of Dravemont of the Luminara Kingdom was already buzzing when Cici arrived.

”Miss Jody… I wonʼt disappoint you!” Cici muttered as she recalled her teacher, Jody Lombarde.

Soon, she looked around her surroundings.

The capital of the Luminara Kingdom had been transformed into a festival of arcane brilliance, its streets lined with banners, its plazas filled with vendors selling enchanted trinkets, and its skies crowded with airships descending from every corner of the continent.

Cici adjusted her spectacles as she stepped off the carriage, her notebook already in hand.

She was a reporter for the New Era Chronicle, the most influential newspaper in Valeʼs Shadow Country, owned by Jody Lombarde, Valeʼs longtime friend.

Alongside her were two colleagues. They were Rynel, a sharp-tongued columnist known for his biting critiques, and Marra, a young photographer whose enchanted lenses could capture aura signatures in vivid detail.

The three had been dispatched to cover the International Arcane Academy Competition, and they knew the stakes.

This was not just a contest of students, it was a convergence of nations, a showcase of innovation, and a battlefield of prestige.

Every academy wanted the title of Worldʼs Number One Arcane Academy, and every newspaper wanted the scoop that would define the year.

Already, the competition among media houses was fierce.

Reporters from the Azure Herald, the Crimson Gazette, and the Millton Times jostled for position in the city square, trading rumors and snippets of information.

”Did you hear?” one shouted. ”The Rakmiths Academy of Elemental Arts has a prodigy who can summon a high‑grade Lava Spirit. They say his name is Laethorn Pyrrhus, and heʼs only fourteen!”

Another countered, ”Thatʼs nothing. Vermont Academy of Dark Arts is fielding a boy called Devan Marron. He supposedly mastered three forbidden curses before his fifteenth birthday.”

”Damn… I heard forbidden spells will be allowed this time… This will be interesting.”

Cici scribbled furiously, her quill scratching across the page. These names would matter. The public craved stories of prodigies, of legends in the making.

Rynel leaned close, muttering, ”Donʼt forget the leaks. Word is, the rewards for the top student in each Arcane Path include Sovereign‑grade artifacts, rare immortal blood, and even fragments of divine essence. If thatʼs true, this competition is bigger than anything weʼve seen before.”

Marra snapped a photo of the bustling square, her enchanted lens capturing the glow of runes etched into the cityʼs walls.

”Look at this place,” she said. ”Even the infrastructure is new. Luminaraʼs engineers developed a rune system that stabilizes aura flow across the entire city. Itʼs like the whole capital has become an arena.”

The trio pushed deeper into the crowd, gathering whispers and fragments of information they could find…

***

From the Lovell Academy of Beast Arts, they learned of a girl named Siera Wildclaw, who had bonded with a griffin totem said to carry royal blood.

From the Adaereth Academy of Rune Arts, rumors spread of a boy named Thalos Inkspire, who had invented a new rune sequence capable of amplifying spells by thirty percent.

Ciciʼs notes filled quickly…

Laethorn Pyrrhus (Rakmiths, Elemental Arts) - Lava Spirit summoner.

Devan Marron (Vermont, Dark Arts) - Forbidden curses prodigy.

Siera Wildclaw (Lovell, Beast Arts) - Griffin bond.

Thalos Inkspire (Adaereth, Rune Arts) - Rune innovator.

”Hmm… I think some of these details werenʼt new. I think our team in Millton Kingdom already knew some of them.” Cici muttered.

In any case, more names emerged…

Eric Veyne of Langhorne Academy, a Combat Artist, said to have shattered steel with his bare fists.

Liza Moontide of Magrath Academy, a Holy Arts student rumored to channel divine light strong enough to blind Master Arcanists

Corvane Draemir of Farrel Academy, a Psychic Arts prodigy who could manipulate dreams and bend minds.

Each name carried weight that could ignite headlines.

But the competition was not only about students.

Luminara Kingdom itself had become a showcase of innovation.

Newspapers reported on the news spells invented by Luminaraʼs scholars, spells that allowed information to be transmitted instantly across cities, a revolution for media houses. Rune‑smiths unveiled a new stabilizing rune, capable of preventing aura backlash during duels.

Artificers also displayed special artifacts forged for the competition. There were enchanted gauntlets, pendants, and blades designed to withstand high‑level clashes.

Cici marveled at the scale of it all. ”Itʼs like a marketplace of ideas. Every nation is showing off its best.”

Rynel smirked. ”And weʼre here to make sure the world knows who shines brightest.”

The three of them knew that Valeʼs Shadow Country wouldnʼt lose in this type of competition at all.

Later that evening, the trio gathered in a tavern filled with reporters.

The air buzzed with speculation.

”The Crimson Moon Academy is sending a boy named Veylor Ashencrest,” one journalist said. ”They say heʼs mastered Transformation Arts to the point he can shift into a phoenix‑form for ten seconds.”

Another chimed in, ”Azure Sky Academy has a Rune Arts prodigy, Mirielle Dawnweaver. She supposedly cracked a rune sequence that channels elemental energy directly into psychic spells.”

Ciciʼs quill danced across the page. The list of contenders grew longer…

Then came the leak.

A courier rushed into the tavern, whispering to select reporters.

Within minutes, the news spread like wildfire, the rewards for the top student in each Arcane Path had been confirmed!

Aside from the trophy, title, and money, they would also receive Sovereign-Grade Artifacts!

Then, it was also confirmed that an Immortal Beast Blood, a rare essence that could extend life or amplify cultivation, would be provided.

It didnʼt end there, as a drop of divine essence, said to be the key to touching Divinity itself, would be provided.

Still, those who could at least become the top 2 and top 3 for each Arcane Path would receive a chance to obtain one Forbidden Spell Model from the Royal Library of the Kingdom.

Furthermore, according to the leaks, the new queen, Queen Sabrina herself, would watch the competition and would personally give a reward to the most exemplary Arcanist of the event!