Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy-Chapter 903: The New Academy

"I'm Zeno Roquemont..." The old man said as he extended a hand. "If you're going to practice Dark Arts at Marshall Academy, there's a good chance you'll end up as one of my students."

Armin's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected to meet a professor of the Dark Arts! Furthermore, he might not have known the name Zeno, but he knew about the Roquemont family. It was a family deeply entwined with the Dark Arts faction.

'The Roquemont family... I read about them after I studied a bit about the Dark Arts Faction...'

"Incredible!" Armin blurted, still processing the revelation. "Right... if you don't mind, Professor, I wanted to ask-do you think having five Spell Lights is enough?"

At this question, Zeno was a bit stunned before he let out a low chuckle.

This was definitely a simple question but because of the many changes happening right now, the standard had also changed.

"Five Spell Lights? That's more than enough, my boy. You don't have to worry. Although it's common to have eight spell lights upon awakening, it's still fine... Well, as long as you haven't already recorded any spell models."

Zeno then paused for a moment to look at the young man's expression before he continued.

"You'll be required to learn or record four mandatory spell models once you start at the Academy. But if you've filled your Spell Lights with models already, you'll have to visit the Spell Hall and request a purge before we can move forward. It's not something you want to deal with in the middle of a class."

Armin nodded quickly, a flood of relief rushing through him. "So it's four... The volunteer in the orphanage said that we just need three... It was something he knew about ten years ago. Anyway, I haven't recorded anything yet. I can barely maintain my Phantasm State for long enough."

The professor raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How long is your Phantasm?"

These people are truly lucky nowadays. After all, they no longer need to consume the Darkness Possession Potion in order to awaken their talent as Dark Arts Practitioner. Though they could still consume it in order to hasten the speed of their Spell Lights formation and help them imprint Spell Models faster, it was still better not to consume them since they would give incredible pain to the young Arcanists unless they have a physique similar to Maya.

Anyway, Armin hesitated before responding with almost a whisper.

"It's only four meters around me, and it lasts for about twenty seconds... It's not much. Plus, I need at least three minutes before I can enter the state again."

Zeno's expression shifted into something thoughtful. He stroked his chin for a moment before speaking. "Four meters within twenty seconds, eh? Not the best, but certainly not the worst I've seen. The Phantasm State is a personal skill that takes time to refine. Everyone starts differently, but you'll be surprised how fast you can expand that radius with the right training. You can push that limit once you understand the mechanics better."

Armin's face lit up with a bit of hope. "Really?"

"Absolutely." Zeno smiled as he looked at the young man...

Since their journey would still take some time, he decided to just talk with the young man and give him some tips based on his experience.

Zeno considered for a moment after learning more about Armin's situation...

"First tip don't think of it as just a field of magic. Your Phantasm is more than an extension of your senses and power. It's also a reflection of your willpower. The more confident you become in your Dark Arts, the more naturally your Phantasm will grow. It's like flexing a muscle you've never used before. The more you push it, the stronger it'll get."

Armin nodded intently, absorbing every word. The idea that his Phantasm could be developed over time gave him a sense of reassurance.

"But don't get frustrated if you're not seeing any improvement," Zeno continued. "Most students find their Phantasm State weak or unreliable when they first start. You'll learn techniques to focus and maintain it. At the Academy, we'll teach you to attune yourself to it, gradually pushing the boundaries of your range and duration. For you, control will be key. You've got the potential with three Arcane Paths, but raw power without control can be dangerous-especially in the Dark Arts."

"I understand, Professor!" Armin replied with enthusiasm.

As the train pressed on through the changing landscape, the conversation between Armin and Professor Zeno flowed easily.

Zeno continued to share more about the intricacies of Dark Arts, the importance of mastering one's fears, and how emotional control directly impacted spellcasting. After all, the duration of Phantasm State could also shorten depending on the caster's focus...

Zeno would surely not do such a thing if this was several years ago, but after he turned into an old due to many of his Dark Rituals, he had surely changed.

They discussed the types of students at the Academy, the possible challenges Armin would face, and the advanced rituals that awaited him.

Soon, as the basic things were finally explained, Armin asked about the other paths that he could've practiced.

Zeno also knew some things about the Transformation Arts and Combat Arts, so he decided to Share it with Armin. However, these two Arcane Paths weren't being taught in Marshall Academy."

Nonetheless, Armin felt grateful about it.

"So Transformation Arts are about manipulating your physical self or your environment, and Combat Arts... well, it was quite straightforward, but we can learn the Aura there... I guess my decision to stick with the Dark Arts was a good one."

He was excited by the prospect of learning such an Art, but also anxious. He had never felt particularly powerful, and growing up in an orphanage had left him with a lingering sense of

inferiority.

'I can do this...' He thought to himself.

Zeno must have sensed his apprehension and gently spoke...

"You know, most people at the Academy don't come from wealthy or powerful backgrounds. You're not the only one from humble beginnings. I've seen ordinary people rise through the ranks faster than noble-born students who thought their family names would carry them. The only thing that matters here is your commitment. If you give it your all, the Academy will give back more than you can imagine." Zeno said... He had indeed witnessed several people without any background rise in the late Vermont Academy.