Umbra Gorge, at the bottom of the valley.

  Allen bent over once more to examine Evelyn's injuries. Most of her wounds had healed, and her complexion had regained some color, but the miasma's erosion on her muscles and bones could not be repaired in such a short time.

  At this moment, Evelyn could only move her upper body. Her legs were slowly recovering, but it would take several more days before she could walk normally.

  Allen stood up and began searching the valley floor, scanning every rock wall and stone platform, trying to find a hidden passage for escape.

  Seeing his actions, Evelyn let out a soft sigh and said,"Don't waste your effort. If there were a way out, those Demon prisoners wouldn't have died here."

  She had long noticed the dried corpses on the stone platforms. Their varied forms indicated they came from different Demon Tribes, yet none had escaped this prison alive.

  From her perspective, with only her and Allen's magical abilities, especially considering her still-healing wounds, opening the soul devouring chains above was absolutely impossible.

  Allen sat down beside her and said,"Evelyn, when you were unconscious just now, I saw a Demon with three heads and six arms."

  "But he is gone now. He must have found a way out to escape. I will keep looking; maybe I can find a hidden exit."

  Evelyn was stunned for a moment, then said,"Three heads and six arms? That must be an Ossified Demon Tribe member!"

  "They are naturally incredibly strong. Fortunately, he is already gone. Otherwise, with our current condition, we would definitely be in trouble."

  Allen silently nodded, inwardly marveling that, despite being the Demon King, his knowledge of the Tribe's branches was far less than that of a human mage.

  He was about to ask more questions about the Ossified Demon Tribe when suddenly the shadowed miasma above emitted a violent disturbance.

  Allen fixed his gaze on the miasma overhead. Evelyn propped herself up and looked up, staring at the dense black cloud.

  A tremendous wave of energy poured down from above the miasma. The once-impenetrable shadowed miasma split open a narrow gap, allowing sunlight to shine through, casting a pillar of light onto the valley floor.

  The gap quickly widened until the entire miasma dissipated. The sun's rays poured freely over the valley.

  Evelyn's face was full of astonishment. She turned to Allen and asked,"The shadowed miasma… it's gone?"

  She had never imagined that the prison containing the powerful Demon Tribes would be opened in this way.

  Allen made a shushing gesture to Evelyn, signaling her to remain quiet.

  He had already sensed the familiar presence above and knew this was Moloch's plan.

  Moments later, a squad of Demon Tribe soldiers swooped down from the top of the gorge. They carried long spears, moved in tight formation, and exuded a fearsome presence.

  The soldiers surrounded a single person in the center, Moloch, who was bound and being driven slowly toward the valley floor.

  "How dare you escape from Gorge Prison! You are truly reckless!" the leading soldier shouted, pressing the tip of his spear lightly against Moloch's back.

  "Did you really think you could get away? We have brought you back!"

  "Behave yourself and accept your punishment. Maybe we will let you keep your life!"

  Moloch struggled with all his strength, his six arms taut as he tried to break free from the restraints.

  He let out a feigned angry roar, but in reality, he was using the corner of his eye to search for Allen's figure, coordinating with this staged capture.

  Moloch struggled violently, his massive body twisting as he roared continuously, his voice filled with feigned despair and resistance:

  "I will not go back! I absolutely refuse to go back! Let me go! I never want to be trapped in this damned place again!"

  His six arms tensed fiercely, tugging at the shackles so they creaked slightly, the act perfectly convincing.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Allen hid behind a stone platform, watching the scene and silently nodding in approval, thinking,"Good acting."

  Beside him, Evelyn gripped his sleeve tightly, deliberately holding her breath, careful not to alert the approaching Demon Tribe soldiers.

  From her perspective, if this well-equipped squad discovered them, in their current condition, they would have no chance to resist, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

  The footsteps of the Demon Tribe soldiers drew closer. Evelyn tensed, holding her breath and staring intently at the approaching figures, her heart pounding wildly.

  Just as the soldiers were about to reach the platform, Moloch suddenly let out a deafening roar:"Ah~!"

  Immediately, a few sharp snaps rang out. The shackles binding him were forcibly broken, shards scattering to the ground.

  "No! The shackles can't hold him!"

  One of the soldiers shouted, but it was already too late.

  Freed from his restraints, Moloch did not engage with the soldiers. Instead, he spun around and shot toward the top of the gorge, arms flaring.

  "Chase him! Do not let him escape! If he gets away, we will all be punished!"

  A squad of Demon Tribe soldiers leapt into the air, following Moloch's fleeing direction, vanishing in an instant at the top of the gorge.

  Evelyn stared at the open entrance of the gorge above, blinking in disbelief."They just left like that?"

  To her, the soldiers seemed as if they had deliberately come to open the prison, arriving hastily and leaving in a rush, leaving behind a completely clear path for the two of them to pass freely.

  "We don't have to die."

  Evelyn's tense body relaxed instantly, tears glistening in her eyes.

  Allen smiled, no longer hesitating, and securely lifted Evelyn onto his back.

  "This is our chance, Evelyn. Let's go!"

  Without waiting for her response, Allen leapt and began scaling the steep cliff.

  With the soul devouring chains and shadowed miasma no longer blocking them, he quickly ascended the rock face, effortlessly leaving Umbra Gorge behind.

  When his feet touched the cliff at the top of the gorge, Evelyn leaned against Allen's back, exhaling deeply, her nerves finally relaxing.

  She looked out at the expansive horizon, her heart filled with relief at surviving the ordeal.

  Allen checked their bearings, confirmed the direction of Falling Ash City, and then carried Evelyn swiftly forward, his pace steady and fast.

  Once their figures vanished into the distance, Keller emerged from the shadows beside the cliff.

  He looked toward the entrance of the gorge, waved his hand gently, and the thick shadowed miasma reformed, instantly sealing off the entirety of Umbra Gorge.

  Allen carried Evelyn on his back, moving quickly toward Falling Ash City.

  Godfall Battlefield was fraught with danger, and Allen was completely unfamiliar with the terrain, relying entirely on Evelyn's guidance to navigate.

  Halfway along the way, Evelyn, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke:

  "Allen, you should go ahead. They won't let me into the city."

  Allen understood her concern and reassured her:

  "Don't worry. Maybe by the time we get back, that Matteo guy will have already left."

  Evelyn shook her head, her fingers clutching Allen's robe tightly.

  "Even if he leaves, the soldiers of Falling Ash City still won't let me in.

  Matteo's family has deep influence. No one would dare offend such nobles just for me."

  Allen remained silent, mentally calculating the marching speed of the Demon Tribe army.

  By now, the Demon Tribe forces should have already set out. Once Matteo and his group were dealt with, no one would block their entry into the city.

  Evelyn rested her head lightly on Allen's shoulder and said,

  "It's fine. At worst, I'll kneel outside the city gate and beg them. At least they'll let you in."

  She did not want to endanger Allen, willing to sacrifice her own dignity to ensure his safety.

  Meanwhile, atop the walls of Falling Ash City, Matteo stood with a dark expression, staring at the Enlightenment Fruit at his feet, already rotten and blackened.

  This Fruit, containing pure magical energy, would lose all its magic within three days once separated from the parent tree, becoming useless.

  "Stubborn little thing," Matteo muttered venomously, kicking the rotten fruit aside."That Allen kid still hasn't come back?"

  Several people beside him nodded. One sneered,"People from Radiant Magic Academy are getting more and more reckless. How dare they make you wait this long?"

  "Stop waiting. Just let them deal with themselves," another added.

  "We'll inform the Governor that those two must not enter the city. In Godfall Battlefield, they are bound to die there sooner or later!"

  A cruel smile twisted Matteo's face, his eyes filled with obsessive anger.

  "That would be too easy for them. I haven't even seen them kneeling at the city gate begging for mercy. If I let them go now, everyone will think Matteo is easy to bully.

  I want everyone to know the consequences of offending me!"

  As Matteo raged, an urgent and piercing alarm suddenly rang out across Falling Ash City.

  "Enemy attack! Enemy attack! It is the Demon Tribe army! The Demon Tribe is attacking the city!"

  The shouts of the soldiers echoed continuously, spreading through the entire city.

  Teams of human soldiers, armed with swords and bows, rushed to the walls. The previously empty battlements were soon filled with tense faces.

  Matteo furrowed his brows, frustration evident, but he could only temporarily suppress his anger and step back, avoiding the soldiers' positions.

  He looked to the horizon, but the view was empty, with no sign of the Demon Tribe forces.

  "Quick! Contact the nearby Elven Tribe immediately. Have them send reinforcements at once!"

  The captains dashed across the battlements, issuing one order after another, sending the calls for aid to the Elven Tribe garrisons.

  The tense atmosphere on the walls seemed to excite Matteo and his companions. They leaned forward, curious about the size of the Demon Tribe army.

  Before long, the sky in the distance darkened rapidly, a thick shadowed magic blotting out most of the sunlight.

  Squads of Demon Tribe soldiers, radiating a deadly aura, appeared neatly on the horizon, sweeping toward Falling Ash City.

  As the countless Demon Tribe soldiers reached the city, the war chariots rumbled across the ground, the overwhelming magical energy surging into the sky.

  For the first time, Matteo on the walls truly felt the suffocating pressure, his curiosity instantly replaced by fear.

  At the head of the Demon Tribe army, Vorthak sat atop a fully black, winged, demonic flame gryphon.

  He slowly lifted his head, scanning the panicked figures on the city walls, a cruel smile spreading across his face.