Eleanor's expression was grave as she informed Allen that she intended to set out immediately for Godfall Battlefield to investigate Evelyn's whereabouts.

  But Allen shook his head firmly, refusing. He already knew that Godfall Battlefield was vast, full of spatial rifts and relics of ancient battlefields.

  With Eleanor going alone, the chances of finding the missing Evelyn in such an immense expanse were extremely slim.

  More importantly, if Marcus had set an ambush, Allen's body, containing the power of the Demon King, was far more suited to handle the danger than a mentor.

  "Mentor, I will go," Allen said with resolve.

  "I've been stuck at Sixth-tier Intermediate Mage for some time. Godfall Battlefield is rich in mana, perfect for preparing for my next advancement."

  "Rest assured, I will find Evelyn and bring her back to the academy safely."

  Eleanor hesitated for a moment, her gaze lingering on Allen for a long while.

  She knew that after his battle with Samuel, Allen's strength was enough to contend with Senior Mages, and he could protect himself in Godfall Battlefield.

  She only had a single Godfall Battlefield pass token, given to her by Augustine.

  After careful thought, Eleanor finally handed the token to Allen, repeatedly warning him,

  "Allen, be extremely careful. Once you find Evelyn, return immediately. Do not linger in Godfall Battlefield, and avoid becoming involved in conflicts."

  Allen nodded in acknowledgment. That same day, he prepared and departed from Radiant Magic Academy, heading toward Aetherlan City.

  Having escorted Evelyn before, he was already familiar with the procedure for using the pass token, making this journey smooth and efficient.

  After registering his name, academy, and reason for entry, Allen embedded the pass token into the slot of the teleportation array.

  The brief dizziness from the space distortion passed instantly. In the next moment, he stepped into the human stronghold of Falling Ash City in Godfall Battlefield.

  Before him lay a ruined city-state, scarred from countless strikes of swords and magic. Rubble and broken bricks piled along the streets.

  Even the grand central tower had lost half its top. Exposed beams creaked in the wind, as if they had endured thousands of years of war. Not a single building remained intact.

  "So this is the human stronghold in Godfall Battlefield?"

  People hurried along the streets, mostly clad in durable leather armor with weapons at their sides, each radiating a dangerous aura.

  They were clearly veterans who had spent years exploring Godfall Battlefield and battling other factions.

  In the open spaces along the streets, small groups gathered, speaking in low tones as they traded treasures discovered within Godfall Battlefield.

  The exchanges were tense, occasionally erupting into conflicts over prices, reflecting the stronghold's chaos and brutality.

  Allen walked along the broken streets toward the outskirts of the city-state. Passing a tavern, a faint voice suddenly reached his ears, and one name made him freeze in place instantly.

  "I remember… her name was Evelyn, right?"

  The voice came from the second floor of the tavern. Allen looked up. Places like this were hubs for exchanging information, chaotic yet hiding the most secrets.

  He suppressed the urgency in his heart and stepped forward to push open the door.

  The second-floor hall of the tavern was filled with the rich aroma of malted beer. Around a long table, a dozen young men and women sat together, tasting their drinks while laughing and chatting freely.

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  Allen's gaze swept over their robes and immediately recognized the emblem of Luminara Magic Academy. He had heard Augustine mention this school before.

  It was the top magic academy in Aetherlan City, gathering noble prodigies from across the continent. The minimum requirement for admission was already promotion to Senior Mage, a threshold far higher than that of Radiant Magic Academy.

  Though the people before him appeared young, the aura of Senior Mage-level mana radiated from each of them, showing they had all met the academy's strict standard.

  Suppressing the urgency in his heart, Allen gave them a slight nod and asked calmly,"Are you all from Luminara Magic Academy?"

  The laughter and chatter immediately ceased. All eyes turned toward Allen, their gazes tinged with scrutiny and arrogance.

  A pale-skinned young man with narrow, sharp features spoke,"Who are you?"

  "I am Allen from Radiant Magic Academy," Allen replied confidently, his gaze settling on the man."Just now, I heard you mention Evelyn. Have you seen her?"

  The mention of Radiant Magic Academy instantly erased their curiosity, replaced by blatant disdain and mockery.

  "So you come from that shabby place called Radiant Magic Academy," one blond man sneered."Your academy is bold indeed, sending someone who hasn't even reached Senior Mage into a dangerous place like Godfall Battlefield."

  "This is no place for low-level apprentices like you. Not only have you never seen the world, but you don't even have the sense to read a person's expression."

  Another girl chimed in, her tone sharp and cutting:"Matteo actually wanted what she had, and yet she even dared refuse to hand it over."

  "If she likes picking things up in Godfall Battlefield so much, let her collect to her heart's content outside the city. We don't care about it anyway!"

  The group burst into loud laughter, their words dripping with contempt.

  Allen stood quietly, watching them calmly, already understanding the situation.

  This group was the reason for Evelyn's disappearance. He had not expected to find the culprits so easily.

  "So where is she now?" Allen asked.

  The pale-skinned young man had been one of the nobles of Aetherlan City, Matteo Valerion of the Valerion family.

  A cold, ruthless glint appeared in his eyes as he sneered."You are wise to ask. I had planned to wait for your reaction so we could vent our anger, but it seems that saves us some trouble."

  "Get lost. Evelyn is already dead."

  Matteo raised his chin arrogantly."She dared offend me. By now, she has surely died outside the city."

  "Perhaps if your academy head comes with an official apology in a few days, this matter could have been settled."

  Allen's gaze gradually grew icy, flames of suppressed anger surging in his eyes. He fixed his stare on Matteo and asked,

  "So you must be Matteo. From what you're saying, Evelyn's disappearance is your doing?"

  Before he could finish speaking, a clear female voice interrupted from the side.

  "You are Allen?"

  Allen turned his head and saw a somewhat playful-looking girl approaching from a nearby square table.

  The girl clearly was not traveling with Matteo and his group. She quickened her pace to the long table, bowed slightly to Matteo with a polite smile, and spoke humbly:

  "Sorry to disturb your enjoyment. We will leave immediately and promise not to ruin your fun."

  With that, she immediately turned and tugged on Allen's sleeve, lowering her voice with urgency:

  "Quick, come with me. I know where Evelyn is! If we wait any longer, it will be too late!"

  Allen followed her gaze toward Matteo. The young man had already grown impatient and turned back to continue drinking and laughing with his companions, clearly not paying them any attention.

  Suppressing the anger rising in his chest, Allen set aside his conflict with these noble youths for the moment and followed the girl quickly out of the tavern.

  Right now, the most important thing was to find Evelyn. As for these arrogant nobles, they could be dealt with later.

  The girl led Allen through narrow, ruined streets, carefully avoiding the noisy trading areas. Eventually, they arrived at a secluded part of the city.

  Once she confirmed no one was nearby, she stopped, exhaled, and said,"I am Aerin of Dawnspire Academy."

  "We met briefly before at the Holy Demon Prison Tower, though the scene was chaotic at the time. You might not remember."

  Allen was slightly taken aback. He recalled the moment instantly. Could this girl be the one who had been pinned under Evelyn back then? He had only glimpsed her briefly, and the impression was faint.

  "So it's you. What exactly happened? How is Evelyn?"

  Aerin instinctively glanced toward the tavern, a hint of caution in her eyes. After confirming no one was following them, she lowered her voice and explained:

  "You cannot afford to offend those people. They are noble apprentices from Luminara Magic Academy.

  The one speaking to you earlier was Matteo, the second son of the Valerion family, a noble house in Aetherlan City."

  "Evelyn ran afoul of him, which is why he sent people to trap her outside the city."

  Allen frowned deeply and pressed,"What exactly happened?"

  Aerin let out a soft sigh, her tone filled with helplessness."These noble youths have deep roots in Aetherlan City."

  "Their admission to Luminara Magic Academy was never based solely on talent. It relied on the influence of their families in the city."

  "Although the academy is strict, requiring every apprentice to regularly complete assigned tasks to maintain their enrollment, these nobles never personally venture into the depths of Godfall Battlefield to retrieve the items needed for their tasks."

  She continued,"This time they entered Godfall Battlefield only to complete the tasks assigned by the academy.

  But they were too lazy to explore deeply, so they set their sights on others, ambushing them outside the city to seize what they had found."