Vale's grip tightened on his weapon, his heart pounding with uncertainty.

He could tell that this new opponent was unlike the second-rate Arcanists he had easily knocked out just now. He had to take this seriously.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Vale replied with a steady voice while observing the man who had suddenly appeared.

The man exuded an aura of power and darkness, standing tall and imposing.

Although the Divine Sense couldn't tell his Arcane Path, Vale did not doubt that this person was a Dark Arts Practitioner.

The stranger had a lean and muscular build, his frame honed through rigorous training and battles fought. His jet-black hair was slicked back, accentuating his sharp features.

'A necromancer?' Vale guessed.

The man was dressed in a dark, form-fitting attire and flowing coat that billowed around him This kind of appearance perfectly aligned with the Necromancers he had seen in the Archive's Recording Crystals.

Furthermore, the man had no visible weapons.

Perhaps, his Mystical Items were those intricate silver rings on his hands.

At this time, Gene and the other Third-Class Arcanists on board dared not to intervene as they could tell that they were no match against this person. They just signaled to Vale that they would prioritize saving the passengers.

'Hold on Young Arcanist! We will soon dock in the nearest town! The police would catch these criminals once we landed!' Gene said, using his telepathy before he ran away back to the cabin.

Vale just ignored the Vice Captain as he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he assessed the stranger's appearance. Furthermore, he could tell that the Airship was not descending at all!

The Captain of the Ship might even be dead by now, or he was also an accomplice from the start.

Suddenly, the stranger's voice cut through the tension.

"You've proven yourself capable, young man. But I assure you, my power surpasses your wildest imagination. Just stay still and let me seal your soul. Once you wake up, you'll be back in the Academy You'll forget what happened here, and you'll not be hurt."

'What?' Vale was a bit shocked as the man's words were scarier than he thought.

"You want to seal my soul? You're indeed a Necromancer. Are you working for that girl behind me?" Vale asked as he circulated his Dark Energy and readied himself to release his Planar Spells.

He wouldn't hold back this time.

The stranger's smile widened, his eyes glinting with a malevolent gleam. "Oh, who knows I'm no one special, young man. Hmm It seems that you don't want to make this easy. But I have another proposition for you. Join my Organization I'll have a way to replace the shadow that was taken by your Headmaster. If you join me, you will no longer need to attend the Academy, and my Organization will teach you everything you want to learn. You will also have a lot of freedom in the process, so you don't have to worry about being confined."

"What?!"

Celina exclaimed. However, she immediately realized what she had done and covered her mouth with her hands.

It seemed that the second offer the man had given wasn't part of their agreement. Vale couldn't help but smile at his situation.

Vale's resolve hardened, his eyes narrowing with determination.

There was no point continuing this conversation

"Dream on" Vale declared as he summoned his Ghost Hands to shift the man's attention.

The stranger's smile faded, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. "Very well, Vale. If that's your choice, then prepare yourself. The real battle begins now."

As he said this, he looked at the three Ghost Hands and summoned three Vengeful Spirits to catch them He then continued summoning ten or so White Ghost Servants to protect him from all directions.

Vale didn't think too much of this since, at the same time, he activated his Planar Spell.

Shadow Mutilation.

This Spell was then covered with another Dark Spell, Darkness Manipulation! With this layered Spell, Vale believed that the Necromancer would not realize that what he was targeting was his shadow!

In an instant, darkness coalesced around the man, swirling and twisting like malevolent spirits.

Then, the Darkness took the form of razor-sharp tendrils that aimed to sever the man's shadow, bringing about his demise.

Vale did not stop after casting three of his Spells. He could tell that the man could stop his Darkness Manipulation's attack. So, with nimble movements, he lunged forward, his Stormbringer Sword gleaming with deadly intent.

He aimed a precise strike, intending to cut off the man's shadow and end the battle.

Whoosh~

It was successful! He cut it!

However, to his surprise, the man did not scream in pain!

As he looked back, he realized that his opponent remained standing, seemingly unaffected.

Instead, it was his White Ghost Servant who crumbled to the ground...

The man's voice dripped with amusement, "Impressive I didn't expect your sword to actually injure me just by hitting my shadow. What a peculiar sword But you've underestimated me, young man. My Ghost Servants here will protect me. My powers extend beyond the realm of shadows."

Vale's eyes widened in realization, he didn't expect that the man could survive by using this kind of technique.

The man then launched his attack. He was indeed a master of death and dark arts, capable of summoning an army of undead!

Without hesitation, the man revealed his Necromancy. He raised his hands, summoning Death Knights, Zombies, and Skeleton Warriors to his side. The deck of the Airship became overrun with the chilling presence of his undead minions.

Vale knew he had to act swiftly, but he couldn't use his Blessed Water since they weren't enough to deal with these undead... His Divine Lightning would also destroy the Airship, so he couldn't use it.

'I should've extracted better Holy Arts' Vale thought as he didn't expect that he'd fight against a Necromancer. His Dark Spells weren't good against them.

Having no time to think, Vale used his sword technique, Shadowblade Dance It allowed him to move with unparalleled agility and strike multiple foes simultaneously.

He engaged in a fierce dance, his sword slashing through the undead with precision and grace.

He was tempted to reveal the real power of his sword. However, he changed his mind as an idea popped into his mind. He would aim for the Necromancer's items!

"Traceless Shift"