Violent explosions rang out in succession, and huge fireballs and smoke rose to the sky. The rocks they had used as a cover just moments ago were instantly blown to pieces, leaving several charred pits on the ground.

The scorching airwaves and flying debris chased after their backs even from a distance.

By this time, Duke and his companion had already run far away, hearing only the loud noise from behind, as no energy fluctuations reached them here.

Richie had been at the back of the group all along, keeping an eye on everyone's situation and even helping to intercept some energy surges.

He also kept an eye on whether anyone was pursuing them from behind, but after they were out of the firing range of the energy crossbow, calm returned.

The Toulouse Territory might send people to pursue them, but to them, this was just daily reconnaissance harassment, not yet to the extent of deploying forces.

If this was the Witch's plan to lure the enemy, chasing them would play right into their hands.

The squad hastened all the way until those distressing energy fluctuations were completely out of their perception range, and the Iron Curtain Great Wall once again turned into a blurry black silhouette on the horizon before slowing down gradually.

At this moment, Ella's face was still somewhat pale with lingering fear. When she saw the energy crossbow attack, her body froze, unable to respond at all.

The feeling of death looming in her mind wouldn't easily dissipate, it might take a while to recover.

She had been pampered since childhood, never truly experiencing death, and was unaware of the fact that war is inherently brutal.

Richie stayed at the back of the team, confirming there were no pursuing enemies or abnormal tracking magic fluctuations from behind, before speeding up a few steps to reach the front of the squad.

His face still looked unsightly as his gaze swept over the frightened team members, pausing momentarily on Ella.

Richie felt a bit helpless as he couldn't criticize them. After all, his task was to take care of these people and ensure their safety.

Samuel glanced at the frightened Ella and laughed derisively, saying, "Idiot!"

Leonard quickly turned his head, his eyes sharp as knives, slicing angrily towards Samuel with a voice icy with suppressed anger: "Samuel, say that again if you dare?"

Samuel met his gaze without fear, the mocking curve at the corner of his mouth growing even more distinct. He leisurely licked his pointed teeth, drawing out his voice: "What? Did I say anything wrong? If she weren't sticking her neck out like a curious fledgling, we'd never have been discovered. Isn't that idiotic?"

"You!" Leonard's energy fluctuations instantly became dangerous, and he even slightly raised a hand.

Ella, provoked by Samuel's merciless taunts, flushed red with magical power surging within her, ready to strike at Samuel.

Richie stepped between the two, unabashedly releasing the aura of a Level 2 Mage, which wasn't overwhelming yet forcibly suppressed the conflict about to erupt on both sides.

"During war, any infighting or conflict will be subjected to extremely severe punishment," Richie reminded them.

Samuel chuckled dismissively, seeming uninterested, as his figure flickered and disappeared like melting into the shadows, not bothering to deal with the others, and directly returned alone to Goose Peak Castle.

Leonard and Ella watched Samuel leave directly, feeling that there was nowhere to vent their anger.

But they knew very well that what Richie said was true; if the infighting were reported, neither side would gain anything.

Most likely they'd be sent back directly, and upon return, punished by their families.

Duke and Vivian exchanged a glance, a hint of amusement flashing in their eyes, treating it as entertainment.

These individuals were all from prestigious families, prideful and arrogant. Once they start quarreling, it definitely wouldn't end easily.

If it weren't for Richie's timely intervention, these three would have definitely fought on the spot.

Leonard and his sibling certainly wouldn't gain any advantage, as Ella was just a Level 1 Gaseous Mage.

Although Leonard was a Level 1 Crystalized Mage, his strength probably wouldn't be more formidable than Samuel's.

The group arrived at Goose Peak Castle in less than an hour, much faster than when they left.

After returning to the base, the squad dispersed, leaving the matter in Richie's hands to organize today's events and report them.

Although no one was injured, the attack from the Toulouse Territory needed a detailed report.

This task was considered extremely easy, yet unexpected events occurred, almost leading to casualties.

Due to Ella's insufficient awareness of battlefield danger, her carelessness led to such a mishap.

Duke had been through such experiences and knew the brutal nature of plane warfare, so he focused on being cautious and enhancing his strength.

The Toulouse Territory's attack might start soon, in which case they probably wouldn't need to attack themselves, relying instead on the Slave Creature Legion.

Once the Iron Curtain Wall is captured, they should then infiltrate the Toulouse Territory, executing various missions.

Duke wondered if he could acquire any valuables in the Toulouse Territory, whether magic metals, energy crystal stones, or magic potion resources, they'd all be good luck.

He's not far from the spiritual power threshold of a Crystalized Wizard, all it takes is time to grind proficiency and earn freedom points.

However, the route to ascension to Crystalization wasn't very clear yet; he needed to reference some materials and conduct experimental tests.

His ascension was destined to differ from other Wizards, requiring the aggregation of spiritual power crystals with six different attribute crystal cores, involving a likely arduous process needing substantial resources.

Although the plane warfare battlefield was dangerous, it could quickly gather resources, presenting an opportunity for Duke.

With some spare time after completing his task, Duke planned to train proficiency at the magic laboratory of Goose Peak Castle, otherwise, he'd just be idling.

The United Legion built laboratories for Wizards to live conveniently here: magical potion laboratories, magic laboratories, and alchemy laboratories are being continually improved.

Located as a base, many Wizards would stay here long-term, requiring essential infrastructure for daily life.

These laboratories charge fees, but they're cheap, generally only collecting a fee for the basic operation of the laboratory, allowing one or two hundred blocks of Level 1 magic stones for a day's use.

Guided by the map, Duke passed through the intricate, sometimes spacious, sometimes narrow passages inside Goose Peak Castle.

The deeper he went, the noise of voices and the clinking of metal gradually faded, replaced by a low hum and the subtle hiss of energy flow.

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