Legacy of the Dark Sage

Kyran closed his eyes, lowered his hand touching the layer, and sat cross-legged on the floor. Then he took a few slow deep breaths to calm himself.

After a few seconds, when his mind cleared again, he began reassessing what he had just sensed.

A replicated array would carry the magic signature of the Array Specialist who re-created it. It was almost impossible for one to replicate an array, including the previous Array Specialist's magic signature.

But the key point there was 'almost' impossible. There were ways to replicate it with the previous Array Specialist's magic signature intact.

One way was to find an Array Specialist with an almost similar magic signature to the previous one to recreate the array.

Magic signatures were unique to each mage, but wavelengths and such could be the same, especially when both mages came from the same bloodline.

It made Kyran think of one possibility.

A Regis replicated the array.

However, even as the thought crossed Kyran's mind, he rejected it at once. No Regis could replicate his father's work. That much he was sure of. For argument's sake that there was someone who could, and he was either captured by the Royal Family, Kyran was positive he would choose death over betraying the clan.

With this in mind, Kyran thought of another possibility.

The Royal Family had someone with a unique ability that had a great understanding of magic signatures and managed to replicate it. Apart from this, that person must have great knowledge of Array.

But this possibility had a huge flaw and was also one of the main reasons a Regis could not have replicated the array.

No one from the Royal Family's side whose Array knowledge was high enough to understand Cade's array.

Nolan might be the only one who could replicate it, but then the magic signature on the array should be...

'No, wait. There is one...' Kyran thought as  Mannick crossed his mind.

Mannick is Azaloth, a powerful Abjurer and Array Master. No, not just a Master. He may even be an Array Transcendent.

But Azaloth as Mannick was a combat mage, not an Abjurer. From the limited information the Conclave had about him, his Array knowledge was average, and he was only good with battle tactics.

The Royal Family would not ask Mannick to replicate Cade's array. If there were one thing they would seek his assistance with, it would have to do with his unique magic.

'That's right...!' Kyran balled his fists. He had to think of this from a different perspective.

From the start, he was looking for a person. But what if the Royal Family employed two?

For example, Mannick and Savagery?

Savagery's an Array Saint at most. She might not be knowledgeable about the Human plane's Alchemy, but if it was only to replicate arrays, it was easy. As for the magic energy used in creating the array, Mannick might have helped by gathering similar magic energies from Cade's array during its creation.

It was an absurd idea, even Kyran thought so. But it might be the only answer.

Unless...

'What if this is not a replication but a projection?' Kyran frowned and touched the layer once again.

Projections possessed echoes of the real one. It was why sometimes, even a projection could emit a powerful pressure.

Instead of trying to cover the layer with his magic sense, Kyran targeted the circle itself.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

As expected, the part of the circle which housed the third layer was a huge communication device.

The device was not made using the Human plane's Array but a foreign one. Kyran would not have noticed it without his vast Array knowledge and experience from different planes.

Nevertheless, this projected array of his father's work somewhat put his mind at ease.

No wonder the Royal Family— rather, the Crown Princess— was getting desperate.

With this kind of defensive array protecting the Regis Estate, it would be difficult for others to decipher.

Even more so, destroy it.

It was not surprising that Ruin, Deception and Savagery did not force their way into the estate the first time. Based on Kyran's understanding of his father's array, its defenses grew stronger the more it gets bombarded by powerful magic or non-magic attacks. No one could also get near since the array included a restriction and admission formulas, which when used together result in the array restricting people from passing through. Without the acknowledgement of the array's creator, anyone who tried to pass would be killed.

Even Kyran would not be allowed to pass if his father did not acknowledge it.

But knowing all this still did not put Kyran's mind at ease. It actually put him in a dilemma because if he did not manage to show any progress in deciphering the array the Royal Family might change their mind employing his assistance. But if he did show progress, they might use his work as basis to start their own research. He might be using a Concealment Array now, but if they checked which of the formulas he managed to sorte, they might find a clue.

They might have lost Savagery but if there was anyone scarier than a high-level Array Master, it was a group of overly enthusiastic Array Specialists. Their Array knowledge might be lacking but with more heads scrutinizing his work, they might gain insight and find clues on how to decipher the whole array.

Before Kyran could decide, Owen and Hamish also finished the second layer. He looked up and realized that it had been more than eight minutes since he began working on the third layer.

The timer was now 39:49. They only had nine minutes and forty-nine seconds before their agreed thirty minutes deadline.

Kyran smiled bitterly. He was deep in thought he wasted more than eight minutes just trying to understand how his father's array had appeared here.

However, the pressure of knowing he only had less than nine minutes to think of a strategy how to avoid deciphering the array and still appeal to the Royal Family actually gave him a flash of inspiration.

Kyran did not have to do anything. He would make his move when Owen and Hamish finished deciphering their respective circles. He was positive both would succeed because they got a normal defense-type array unlike him.

Just as Kyran was thinking this, the crowd erupted in cheer. The ones who cheered the loudest were the Courtenay Family.

Kyran looked up and immediately found the reason.  Millie had succeeded in deciphering the first layer of her circle.

As if noticing Kyran's gaze, Millie turned and beamed at him. Her expression seemed to say 'Look, Disciple Tyr! I did it! Please praise me!'

Kyran simply nodded his head at her before returning his attention to the third layer. The moment he looked away however, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Millie successfully deciphering the first layer of the circle meant his guess was spot on.  The Courtenay Family indeed had mages whose Array knowledge was good enough to become an Array Specialist.

The crowd cheered once more, as both Malcolm and Deite succeeded in deciphering the first layer of their circle.

From the Conclave's side, Noir and Vaness looked at the Courtenay representatives with a complicated expressions.

To find three unregistered Array Specialists in this competition spoke volumes.

The Courtenay Family had been secretly raising their own Array Specialists. Now that they were being open about it, it meant they were about to make a move.  A move they were unaware of but definitely nothing good.

Kyran, on the other hand, was feeling apprehensive. If the Courtenay participants could decipher their assigned arrays, then wouldn't that mean the Conclave would lose?

They managed to decipher the first layer in less than thirty minutes, if they went with this momentum, they could finish all layers in less than three hours. Moreover, they seemed to have gotten easier arrays to work on.

It was a little annoying.

"You dare do this in front of me?"  Noir suddenly said as he stood up.

His tone was obviously angry.

Everyone turned to look at him at once.  Even Owen and Hamish, who managed to ignore the uproar from the Courtenay representatives succeeding in their arrays, stopped what they were doing to look at Noir.

The announcer also perked up, and said innocently, "Is there anything wrong, Chairman Noir?"

Noir glowered at the announcer, "Do not play dumb. Who do you think I am?"

Kyran, who remained silent, smiled inwardly. Noir's intervention was a timely one!

"I am afraid I cannot understand—."

"Both Owen and Hamish worked on low-tier arrays for their first layer, while Tyr worked on a mid-tier. The level of their second layer are mid-tier while Tyr had worked on a high-tier array! Apart from that, Owen and Hamish are working on mid-tier defense-type arrays while Tyr has been given a saint-tier array! Clearly, my disciple has been assigned to a much more complex circle! If you are not testing my disciple, then what is with this huge difference?"