Ti flew by. More than ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
After another lunch, Alan suddenly noticed that Francis and Fort weren't cultivating. Instead, they were packing their belongings.
"I'll be taking them sowhere new for training. You should also start preparing to head to Ironblood City," Headmaster Gayle explained, noticing Alan's puzzled expression.
Alan nodded, just as Francis and Fort ca over with their bags.
"When we co back, our strength will definitely have improved by leaps and bounds. I'll make sure you witness just how aweso I am!" Francis clapped Alan's shoulder confidently.
Isabella pouted. "My brother's the best. Even after your training, you still won't be his match!"
Francis grinned. "Oh yeah? Don't co begging for rcy when that ti cos!"
Isabella stuck out her tongue. "I'll make sure my brother goes easy on you."
Fort chid in as well. "I'll help hold Alan back too. I'd hate to see you get killed."
Seeing that none of them took him seriously, Francis gnashed his teeth in frustration, vowing to prove himself.
"Alright, but if you end up losing, you'll be slapping yourself in the face. Don't get too cocky just yet," Gayle said with a shake of his head, before leading the two of them out of the hall.
Alan and Isabella watched their figures grow smaller, until they eventually disappeared over the horizon.
Once they were gone, Alan checked the ti. It was just about ti for him to set out as well.
"Brother… are you leaving too?" Isabella asked reluctantly, looking up at him.
Alan was heading to Ironblood City, and she already knew about the secret realm left behind by the forbidden magus.
Alan nodded. "Yeah. It's a great opportunity to grow stronger. And since I'm a magus, I have a better chance of gaining sothing from it than most others."
Even though Isabella had prepared herself ntally, hearing Alan confirm it still made her eyes redden. But she didn't cry. Instead, she went into her room and ca back with a carefully packed bag.
"Brother, this has a change of clothes, so rations, gold coins, and healing potions…"
Alan accepted the bundle, scanned it with his mind power, and found everything thoroughly prepared. Clearly, she had put a lot of thought into it.
Taking a deep breath, Alan turned to Blanche beside him.
"After I leave, I'll be counting on you to keep my sister safe."
Blanche knew all too well how much Alan cared for his sister. She nodded solemnly.
"Don't worry. As long as I'm here, she'll be perfectly safe."
As she spoke, a wave of tier-gold mage pressure surged from her body.
The aura was incredibly dense—stronger than even the star students from Lioncrest Academy.
Though Alan had always known Blanche was no ordinary mage, this was the first ti he truly felt her power.
With her strength and tier, not even those elite students would be able to take advantage of her.
Relieved, Alan bowed deeply to her.
"Isabella, I'll leave her to you."
"Go. Co back soon—we're still waiting on your roasted at," Blanche said with a light smile.
Alan nodded, gave Isabella one last look, then turned and left without hesitation.
Watching his back disappear, Blanche gently comforted Isabella.
"Don't worry. Alan's really strong—and he's a grand magus. He'll be back soon."
Isabella wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded resolutely. "My brother will be fine. He's always true to his word. He's never let anyone down."
Blanche thought back on her encounters with Alan and murmured, "Your brother is a man of deep loyalty and kindness. Heaven will surely look after soone like him. Though… maybe his only flaw is that he seems to like n."
…
After leaving the valley, Alan headed straight to the capital's Church of Steam and Magic.
Ironblood City was incredibly far from here, and the best way to travel was by train.
But he hadn't gone far down the mountain before he was surrounded by a group of students wearing Lioncrest Academy uniforms.
Previously, due to Gayle's deterrence, they didn't dare go near Sirius Academy to cause trouble.
But the grudge over the Lioncrest student Alan had killed could not go unavenged.
It was a matter of pride for Lioncrest Academy.
Though they didn't dare attack directly, they had stationed people near Sirius Academy to monitor the situation.
And now that Alan had left the mountain—they made their move.
Surrounded, Alan calmly swept his gaze over them. "By the usual rules—one-on-one death duel? Do you dare?"
He wasn't surprised. From the mont he set foot off the mountain, he had anticipated this ambush.
A one-on-one death match!
The Lioncrest students hesitated, surprised that Alan would be so straightforward.
A chubby young man stepped forward, chest puffed out and voice cold.
"Alan! Today is the day you die!"
Before he could finish his sentence, Alan had already dashed forward like a streak of sword light—so fast he was almost untraceable.
Pfft!
The fat youth didn't even have ti to react before he spewed blood and was sent flying like a ball of at. His belly, built from years of body-hardened training, caved in under Alan's kick and he crashed to the ground dozens of ters away.
The other Lioncrest students rubbed their eyes in disbelief.
That guy was a late-tier bronze earth-elent mage who specialized in body refinent!
Yet he couldn't even withstand one blow?
How terrifying was Alan's strength!?
With power like this, who would dare take him on one-on-one? It would be suicide!
At that mont, Alan waved them forward with an impatient gesture.
"Your academy stoops so low as to ambush others—clearly you have no sense of honor or dignity. Since that's the case, co at all at once. I'm on a tight schedule."
His mocking and provocative tone rang in their ears.
Furious, the Lioncrest students bristled.
This guy wasn't just looking down on them—he was trampling their pride.
Still, as students of Lioncrest, they had so pride left. Attacking Alan en masse in broad daylight, no matter the outco, would be a total disgrace.
Even if they were to lose, they had to do it with backbone.
"Alan, don't be arrogant. Fight one-on-one!"
Several of the leaders among them glared at Alan.
Alan shook his head slightly and motioned them over.
"Co on. All of you. You're just a bunch of trash anyway."
Once again, Alan provoked them, his face full of disdain.
Just as a few of them prepared to attack, a whistle suddenly sounded.
Imdiately, they backed away, retreating quickly, unwilling as they were.
Alan found it rather boring but turned and left without hesitation.
"Senior, why'd you call for a retreat? If we all attacked at once, let's see how long he could keep that smug face!"
"Exactly! He's strong, sure—but we outnumber him!"
The Lioncrest students looked to a figure wearing the uniform of the Battle Departnt.
He was their senior—one of the student council mbers just below the star students.
"It seems none of you have realized just how strong Alan really is," the senior said with a sigh.
"Though Alan only joined Sirius Academy recently, not long ago, two of the five top talents of the Battle Departnt couldn't even take him down. If you all attacked, you'd just be handing him an easy win."
"Alan… is no longer soone we can deal with."
His serious tone made the other students' faces grow heavy.
The Five Talents of the Battle Departnt—they had heard of them, idolized them. Even they couldn't defeat Alan?
How had his strength grown this powerful!?
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