Among these three people, two are Silver Hand wizards. One of them is a male wizard named Leonard, dressed in the simple blue and white robes of the Silver Hand, with a stern expression and bearing a peculiar longbow on his back.

The other is a girl with a sleepy look not entirely faded, appearing to be about sixteen years old, named Ella.

The last one is a wizard from the Thorn Tower, tall and handsome, but whose gaze always unintentionally glances at Vivian. This person is named Arthur.

Arthur clearly knows Vivian; they met before at the Thorn Tower, but he hardly ever found a chance to converse or interact with Vivian.

This time, having finally arrived at the Devourer Plane, he hoped to have more contact with Vivian.

Unexpectedly, he saw Vivian entering a room with a man, which instantly made him feel a chill in his heart.

Arthur subsequently went to find out in secret and learned that this man is named Duke, from Black Sail, and also a Level 1 Arcanist.

As for strength, it's not very impressive, as he's also a Level 1 Liquidation Wizard like Arthur.

Duke was unaware of these facts, but he did notice the kid frequently sneaking glances at Vivian.

He and Vivian stood together on one side, while the two Silver Hand individuals stood separately elsewhere. Samuel and Arthur stood each in a different corner.

The positioning of these six people immediately revealed their respective relationships, clearly distinct.

Captain Richie looked at this group of young people with different thoughts and imperceptibly sighed, forcing a formal smile on his face:

"Alright, everyone's here. I am Richie, the captain leading this mission. The task is simple: conduct a routine reconnaissance at the northern border section of the Iron Curtain Great Wall, record the state of defense installations in the direction of the Toulouse Territory, and note any energy fluctuations. Remember, we are there to observe, not to engage in combat. Follow my lead and do not act on your own. Understood?"

"Understood," Duke and Vivian slightly nodded in response.

What was awkward was that besides the two of them responding, nobody else spoke or acknowledged Richie.

These individuals all have a background, seemingly looking down on someone like Richie, who is an ordinary Level 2 Mage.

Although Richie's strength and experience surpassed theirs, in the real world, oftentimes background matters more.

Clearly, Richie lacked any background, as he arduously worked his way to become a wizard.

If he had a background, he probably wouldn't be here leading these people on a mission.

Richie seemed accustomed to it and wasn't upset, merely waving his hand: "Let's move out."

The team left Goose Peak Castle through a designated passage with relatively lax security, and once out of the base's range, they were greeted by desolate, oppressive scenery once more.

However, unlike the western outer perimeter, the northern border terrain was relatively flat and open.

Richie chose a path well-trodden by predecessors, moving at a pace neither too fast nor too slow, enough for the young wizards to keep up.

He occasionally stopped to point at an inconspicuous landmark or trace of energy residue in the distance, briefly explaining a few military topography or energy detection tips, but clearly few were listening attentively.

Ella kept complaining about the strong wind and sand dirtying her robe, while Leonard, her brother, kept comforting her.

Samuel lazily roved along the team's perimeter, occasionally darting into the forests, forcing Richie to slow down to wait for him.

Duke and Vivian followed closely behind Richie without causing any trouble.

Arthur also trailed behind, but his gaze repeatedly wandered toward Vivian, feeling a pang of inexplicable heartache each time he saw Vivian and Duke chatting and laughing intimately.

In truth, he barely knew Vivian. Vivian might know his name at most, yet they'd never even had a formal conversation.

After about an hour, a huge, towering silhouette gradually came into view on the horizon ahead.

This was the northern boundary fortification of the Toulouse Territory, the Iron Curtain Great Wall.

As they drew nearer, the oppressive feeling brought by the wall grew stronger.

The wall towered over a hundred meters high, constructed entirely from massive black stones that gleamed with a metallic cold light, its surface adorned with complex patterns left from energy reinforcement.

The wall-top was densely packed with shooting holes, energy crossbow platforms, and lookout towers.

The gigantic banner emblazoned with the Toulouse Clan's emblem flapped against the wind, appearing somewhat worn yet still exuding an air of ferocity.

In front of the wall lay a wide cleared expanse, where traces of anti-personnel spikes and traps could be faintly seen on the ground.

Teams of soldiers, clad in Toulouse Territory armor, patrolled the wall-top, their figures weaving in and out between the massive battlements.

Occasionally, the silhouettes of powerful Awakened individuals could be seen, their energy fluctuations faintly perceived even from afar.

Several massive, heavily armored dragon-like demons were tethered to the open ground inside the wall, letting out deep growls.

The entire fortification stood like a slumbering steel behemoth, positioned upon the wasteland, exuding a cold, solid, insurmountable aura.

There had been battles here before, but the defense on the Toulouse Territory side had been robust, resisting several probing attacks.

With continued strengthening of its defense, many Awakened and ordinary people who wished to repel invaders voluntarily joined the defense here.

The longstanding survival of the Toulouse Territory relied on this formidable defense, preventing the Leighton Clan from expanding their domain northward an inch.

It has now become an essential line of defense for the United Legion arriving at the Wizard Plane.

The Toulouse Territory also employed demons in the battle, with Awakened skilled in commanding demons becoming a part of its defensive might.

"Wow... such a high wall..." Ella exclaimed softly, instinctively shrinking behind Leonard.

"It looks intimidating, but to us wizards, it's just a pile of rocks in front of our magic-guided cannons," Leonard pretended to dismiss it, though a flicker of awe still crossed his eyes.

This wall wasn't that simple, as ordinary magic-guided cannons would only leave some traces on it, being extremely sturdy.

Captain Richie signaled the group to stop behind a sufficiently hidden slope, then took out several long tube-shaped alchemical telescopes from a storage bag to distribute to everyone:

"Find your own spots to hide, and record the distribution of defensive installations on the wall, patrol intervals, and the areas with the strongest energy reactions. Do not use any active detection spells, to avoid being sensed by the opposing Awakened."

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