"Brother Graham is right. I hate people like you the most. No strength at all, yet you only want to cling to others for protection. A parasite."

  "Do not think we cannot see through your intentions. You just want to use our team to safely pass through Umbra Gorge."

  "I despise people like you. I have seen plenty of Freelance Mages trying to latch onto others like this. You have no sense of shame at all."

  "Bringing trash like you along would be worse than carrying two extra bags of black rye bread."

  One remark after another came flying, the mockery crashing down on Allen like a hailstorm. They spoke with growing enthusiasm.

  Allen quickly understood the truth. Whether they were willing to take him along did not really matter. At its core, they had simply encountered a Freelance Mage with even weaker magic than their own and were using him to satisfy their sense of superiority.

  The more they spoke, the more excited they became, as if trampling Allen lower would make them appear more noble and powerful.

  As the ridicule grew increasingly excessive, the expression on the middle aged mage Graham's face finally became difficult to maintain. He raised his hand to press them down, stopping their endless chatter.

  When the group finally quieted down, he turned to Allen and said,"It is not that we refuse to take you with us. The problem is that your magic is simply too weak. Move forward a little more and you will reach the edge of Umbra Gorge. Once you encounter Shadow Creatures, you will have no ability to protect yourself. It is far too dangerous."

  "Listen to my advice and go back. Do not push any further. When the Radiant Magic Academy recruits again in ten years, your chances will be much better."

  Allen shook his head firmly. After being showered with ridicule, he was no longer that worried about the Shadow Creatures recognizing him ahead.

  These people spoke so unpleasantly that if his identity were accidentally exposed later, wiping them all out would at least vent some of the anger in his heart.

  "Brother Graham, please let me follow you," Allen stepped half a pace forward, his voice carrying just the right amount of urgency and humility.

  "My family are farmers from a remote border town. To put me on the path of learning magic, they sold everything they owned. We are completely destitute now."

  "Joining the Radiant Magic Academy is my only hope of continuing to study magic. So even if I die along the way, I must reach the academy this time."

  Allen spoke with a tragic expression, his eyes filled with determination.

  As soon as his words fell, it was as if he suddenly remembered something. The urgency on his face faded slightly, replaced by a hint of mystery. He lowered his voice and added,

  "Besides, I am not completely useless. I once obtained an ancient magic scroll by chance. It records a secret art specifically meant to restrain Shadow Creatures. It would be especially effective against the Shadow Creatures in the gorge ahead."

  "A secret art that restrains Shadow Creatures?"

  The group, who had been full of disdain just moments ago, instantly perked up. Curiosity and greed filled their eyes.

  For Freelance Mages like them, complete magical secret arts or scrolls were extremely rare.

  Lacking guidance and resources, Freelance Mages would sometimes fight to the death in the wild over half of a damaged magic manual. Let alone a secret art specifically designed to counter Shadow Creatures.

  "Secret art? Among Freelance Mages, it is rare to possess a complete secret scroll."

  The middle-aged mage Graham gave Allen a long, thoughtful look. In his mind, he was thinking, This kid is too naive. How can he casually claim to have a secret art?

  On this magical continent, murder and theft were extremely common. Was he not afraid of attracting attention?

  Sure enough, the expressions of those who had been mocking Allen shifted slightly. Without exception, a trace of greed appeared in their eyes, hard to conceal.

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  For resource-poor Freelance Mages, a complete secret art was worth risking everything to obtain.

  "You are hiding talents I did not expect. I wonder what kind of secret art you possess. Is it suitable for a female mage to learn?"

  The young and beautiful female mage, Lilian, who had previously refused Allen's entry, raised her eyebrows. Her tone had softened considerably, clearly showing that she was now intrigued upon learning that Allen possessed a secret art.

  Her question was exactly what the others in the team wanted to know as well. Different secret arts required different levels of elemental affinity and mental capacity, and could not be learned casually. It was natural to ask for clarification.

  Allen, as if completely unaware of the greed and curiosity in everyone's eyes, maintained his simple and naive expression. He said carelessly,

  "Of course it is suitable. This secret art is most suitable for female mages. Once mastered, it will be very useful for both team adventures and joining the academy."

  He paused, deliberately teasing a little,"The only thing is that the name of this secret art is a bit unusual. I doubt any of you have heard of it before."

  Hearing this, Lilian brightened for a moment, but then pursed her lips in disdain."What secret art have we not heard of? Stop pretending to be mysterious."

  "Come on, tell us. What secret art did you learn? Say it out loud. Maybe someone in our team has seen something similar."

  All eyes turned toward Allen. Even Graham leaned slightly forward, clearly intrigued by this unusual secret art.

  Allen spoke with utmost seriousness,

  "The name of my secret art is Complete Guide to Installing and Removing the Core Axle of the Steam Gear Colossus."

  "Has anyone heard of it?"

  Upon hearing this, the group furrowed their brows. Even Graham, the most powerful mage in the team, looked deeply puzzled, muttering under his breath,

  "Complete Guide to Installing and Removing the Core Axle of the Steam Gear Colossus."

  "What kind of secret art is that? Why is the name so long and so awkward?" a young male mage could not help but ask.

  "Are you sure this secret art is really suitable for female mages?" Lilian still had doubts and asked for confirmation again.

  Allen nodded solemnly, his tone extremely firm."It is perfectly suitable. Who could refuse a female mage who can install and remove the core axle of a steam gear colossus?"

  The female mages in the team's eyes brightened inexplicably upon hearing this, but they soon sank into deep confusion.

  The name of the secret art sounded more like a craftsman's technical manual. How could it possibly be a secret art to restrain Shadow Creatures?

  At this moment, the young and beautiful mage Lilian spoke with a cheerful smile."Since you might still be of some use, I suppose it does not hurt to bring you along."

  The others nodded, each with their own thoughts. Most of them planned to find an opportunity along the way to probe into the details of Allen's secret art. If it proved valuable, they might even try to take it for themselves.

  Seeing that no one objected, Graham said no more and silently approved Allen joining the group.

  With the decision made, the group wasted no time and continued along the forest path.

  After half a day of walking and short breaks, they finally arrived at what Graham had called Umbra Gorge.

  The gorge was shrouded in gray-black mist all year round. The air carried a pungent stench of rot, and the cold, oppressive atmosphere seemed to seep through the pores into the bones. Simply standing at the edge of the gorge gave a suffocating and terrifying sense of dread.

  Graham raised his hand and gestured for everyone to remain alert. Then he took the lead, stepping into the gorge.

  The others followed carefully, one after another, their steps light and cautious, careful not to disturb any hidden Shadow Creatures.

  They moved through the dense fog for about an hour without encountering any danger.

  Just as everyone breathed a quiet sigh of relief, thinking they might pass this dangerous stretch safely, the sound of intense combat suddenly came from not far ahead. It was accompanied by the sharp clash of metal and the roars of Shadow Creatures.

  "Evelyn, the reach of the Radiant Magic Academy is truly excessive!"

  A deep, hoarse voice echoed through the fog, saturated with dark magical energy. It seemed to carry a kind of mental impact, making the members of Graham's group feel dizzy and stagger.

  Seeing their clumsy reactions, Allen quickly bent forward, taking advantage of the moment to appear panicked and mentally shaken.

  He held his head and shook his body as if under assault, though in reality, the faint shadow energy had no effect on him at all. To a Demon King, it was not even enough to tickle.

  At that moment, a cold and clear female voice came from the mist."Your Umbra Demon Tribe has repeatedly ambushed apprentices on their way to study at the Radiant Magic Academy."

  "However, I am not here to wipe you out completely."

  "Our apprentices from the Radiant Magic Academy need a trial ground, and unfortunately, that means using you for practice."

  Hearing this voice, the rest of Graham's group immediately lit up with joy, the dizziness from before almost entirely gone.

  A young male mage exclaimed with excitement,"It is Evelyn Morningstar! One of the four chief apprentices of the Radiant Magic Academy!"

  "Let us hurry! With Chief Evelyn here, if we follow her, we will safely pass through Umbra Gorge!"

  Another team member spoke urgently, stepping quickly toward the direction of the voice.

  Allen followed unobtrusively, soon arriving at the source of the sound.

  In a relatively open area of rocky ground, two sides faced each other in confrontation.

  One side consisted of dozens of bizarre Shadow Creatures. Their bodies were pitch black, their eyes a murky dark red. Each had a curved bone spike protruding from the forehead, giving them a fearsome and terrifying appearance.

  On the other side stood a woman, her posture upright and her features cold and otherworldly. A faint golden aura surrounded her, a holy light that dispersed the surrounding fog like a divine angel descending to the mortal world.

  The light carried a strong purifying power, preventing the nearby Shadow Creatures from approaching recklessly.