Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy

Chapter 1287: Sorcery?!

Bon had been ordered to infiltrate the Dawnblades because the Order of the Sky Sword suspected that the organization might be connected to the mysterious invaders mentioned in the prophecy of Mennena.

At first, he had expected to uncover some hidden conspiracy or perhaps discover that the Dawnblades were secretly preparing for something dangerous.

Instead, the longer he observed them, the more confusing everything became.

The organization genuinely helped its members… It provided them with equipment and trained them…

They even invested enormous amounts of resources into improving the strength of ordinary adventurers who had no noble backing or powerful connections.

And now, it was offering thousands of people the opportunity to obtain Will.

Bon finally understood why the Order of the Sky Sword had begun to take the Dawnblades seriously.

If the organization continued growing at its current pace, its strength would eventually become impossible to ignore. Hundreds of powerful adventurers could become thousands, and if even a fraction of them successfully awakened and mastered Will, the Dawnblades could eventually become a force capable of challenging entire kingdoms.

Bon’s thoughts were interrupted when a loud voice suddenly echoed across the massive field.

“Everyone, listen!”

The conversations among the applicants gradually died down as hundreds of people turned their attention toward the elevated platform.

Soon, a group of familiar figures had appeared, and Bon immediately recognized them.

Ruth stood at the front, accompanied by Jericho, Cecilia, Cielo, and Darlene. Behind them stood the two Platinum-Rank adventurers who had recently become instructors within the organization, Liang Shen and Ayaka Hoshino.

Bon’s eyes focused as he carefully studied each of them.

So these were the people he had been trying to investigate.

For the first time, he was seeing the Dawnblades’ main members gathered together in front of such a massive crowd… They were no longer just pictures drawn on paper…

The reaction of the applicants also changed.

Cheers erupted throughout the field.

Some adventurers shouted the names of Ruth and others, while some of them raised their weapons into the air in excitement. Bon was surprised by the reaction. The applicants weren’t simply interested in joining the Dawnblades… many of them genuinely admired the people standing on the platform.

Cielo waited patiently until the noise began to settle before finally speaking.

“Welcome to the Dawnblades’ recruitment examination!”

Another wave of cheers immediately erupted.

Bon quietly observed the scene.

There was something strange about it.

The Dawnblades had somehow managed to create a sense of belonging among people who weren’t even members yet.

Cielo eventually raised his hand, and the crowd gradually became quiet once more.

“Before we begin, I want everyone to understand something. Joining the Dawnblades isn’t simply about becoming stronger for yourself. It’s about becoming stronger together.”

“You will be given access to resources that most adventurers could never obtain. You will be trained by experienced warriors, allowed to borrow weapons and artifacts owned by the organization, and given opportunities to learn skills that would otherwise be impossible for you to acquire.”

Cielo paused briefly.

“And if you prove yourself worthy, you may even learn how to awaken Will.”

The crowd cheered once more.

Bon wasn’t surprised this time since everyone here had come because of those words.

Cielo waited until the excitement subsided before continuing.

“However, none of this is free. Every member of the Dawnblades has responsibilities. You will be expected to complete missions, protect your fellow members, contribute to the organization, and follow its rules.”

His eyes swept across the numerous applicants.

“And if you betray the Dawnblades… you will become our enemy.”

Cielo’s expression soon relaxed again as he raised his hand.

“Now, let the examination begin!”

The first group of applicants immediately began moving toward the designated testing areas.

Bon remained where he was for a moment, watching the candidates move forward.

He had originally planned to infiltrate the Dawnblades quietly. His mission had been simple… become a member, gather information, and report everything he discovered to Commander Arthur.

But as he looked at the hundreds of adventurers gathered around him, Bon realized that his original plan was no longer enough.

There was no way he could remain an ordinary member.

If he truly wanted to uncover the secrets of the Dawnblades, he needed to get closer to the people at the top.

Just like that, Bon joined the examination to be part of the Dawnblades.

***

The first group of applicants soon gathered in the center of the examination field.

There were several hundred of them, and although most were trying to remain calm, the nervous expressions on their faces made it obvious that they had no idea what the Dawnblades had prepared for them.

Some applicants carried swords and shields, while others wore special robes or carried bows, spears, and various enchanted weapons. A few even stood confidently among the crowd, clearly believing that their years of experience would give them an advantage over the other candidates.

Bon was among them.

He quietly observed the people around him while trying to determine what kind of examination the Dawnblades would conduct.

Combat ability? Teamwork?

Perhaps they would divide everyone into groups and send them into the wilderness for a survival test.

Those were the kinds of examinations he had expected.

However, when Ruth stepped forward, Bon immediately realized that he had guessed incorrectly.

She stood quietly at the edge of the field, as she looked over the applicants.

Then, she raised one hand… A faint glow appeared beneath her feet.

Bon’s expression changed.

“Sorcery…”

He immediately recognized the uniqueness of the technique…

Soon, several glowing lines appeared across the ground, spreading outward from Ruth’s position. The runes connected with one another and formed a massive formation that covered the entire examination field.

The applicants began looking around nervously.

“What is she doing?”

“Is this the first test?”

“I’ve never seen a formation this large…”

Bon’s eyes narrowed.

He had seen Rune Arts before, but Ruth’s control was clearly on another level.

She wasn’t simply drawing several runes and activating them separately.

She had created a single formation capable of affecting everyone standing within the field.

Ruth finally spoke.

“The first examination is simple.”

Her voice wasn’t particularly loud, yet everyone could hear her clearly.

“You have five minutes.”

Several applicants exchanged confused glances.

Ruth continued.

“During those five minutes, I will activate my spell… Anyone who remains standing until the end will pass the first examination.”

For a moment, nobody reacted. Then someone laughed.

“That’s it?”

Another adventurer grinned.

“Five minutes? How difficult could that possibly be?”

Bon didn’t laugh.

His instincts as a knight were already warning him that something was wrong.

Ruth’s expression remained calm… then she lowered her hand.

“Begin.”

The Rune Arts activated…

Boom!

An invisible force descended upon the entire field.

The laughter disappeared instantly.

Hundreds of applicants wobbled as though an enormous weight had suddenly been placed upon their bodies. Some dropped to one knee, while others struggled to remain standing as their legs began trembling beneath them.

“What the—?!”

“This pressure!”

“She’s using Sorcery to suppress us!”