The moment that line of information appeared, it shot straight to the top of the leaderboard, instantly capturing the attention of everyone on the viewing platform.

  "Headmaster Berton, this must be your apprentice, right?"

  "Incredible, truly incredible! A Fifth-tier Senior Mage dares to register for the resource battle. That kind of courage is admirable!"

  The other noble lords also chimed in, praising Berton while their tones carried unmistakable flattery.

  After all, to become Berton's apprentice, even if one's strength seemed modest, there had to be exceptional talent. Naturally, none of them wanted to offend him.

  Hearing the continuous praise from the lords beside him, Berton froze completely.

  The smile on his face stiffened instantly, and he quickly turned his gaze toward the crystal mirrors not far away.

  When he saw Allen's name reflected on the mirror, along with the designation Fifth-tier Senior Mage, his eyes were full of helplessness.

  He hurriedly looked toward the entrance of the resource battle arena, and there, sure enough, he saw a familiar figure.

  It was Allen, the very apprentice he had repeatedly advised against participating, yet who had insisted on entering anyway.

  "He actually did not listen to me and secretly registered!"

  Berton's anger boiled inside him, but with the noble lords present, he could not afford to lose his composure as Headmaster, nor could he scold his apprentice in public.

  He forced down his anger and worry, forcing a stiff smile as he turned to the noble lords."Yes, this is my apprentice Allen. Please forgive him if he has caused any surprise."

  The noble lords noticed Berton's unusual expression but did not suspect anything. They praised him even more respectfully.

  "Headmaster Berton, you are far too modest!"

  "You are the finest mage in Aetherlan City. Your apprentice must possess extraordinary talent and unlimited potential."

  "To dare enter the resource battle as a Fifth-tier Senior Mage shows courage and daring far beyond ordinary people!"

  "We all know you have not taken any new apprentices recently. Allen is your only apprentice, so he must be exceptional. He is certain to become a powerful figure in the future!"

  "Yes, he must be extraordinary!"

  Berton felt increasingly awkward as he listened to their praise. The more they flattered him, the more embarrassed he would feel if Allen were to make a fool of himself in the battle.

  He urgently wanted to change the subject, to shift their attention away from Allen, avoiding further embarrassment.

  But things rarely went according to his wishes. Before Berton could decide on a new topic, a sudden wave of excited exclamations erupted from below the viewing platform.

  "Look! It's Allen! He's participating in the resource battle too!"

  Nearly every apprentice of Luminara Magic Academy recognized Allen.

  He was Headmaster Berton's sole core apprentice, a conspicuous figure by identity alone, and he wore unique clothing unlike any other apprentice, impossible to ignore.

  After the initial exclamations, the stands erupted into a noisy discussion:

  "A Fifth-tier Senior Mage? How does someone at that level dare to enter the resource battle?"

  "If he were a hidden genius, it might make sense. But in the academy, he even has the nickname Max-Level Trash."

  "Exactly. Any random opponent on the battlefield could easily crush him. He is basically going there to give away resources and humiliate himself."

  "I think he just values the Headmaster's apprentice title too much and wants to show off, not realizing it will only make people look down on him even more."

  Although Allen was polite and had decent relationships within the academy, many apprentices thought his reputation did not match his actual strength and envied his status.

  Now, seeing him enter the resource battle with only the power of a Fifth-tier Senior Mage, they naturally seized the opportunity to mock him.

  Most of the spectators on the stands shook their heads in resignation, their eyes filled with pity as they looked at Allen.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Listening to the surrounding apprentices' comments, the noble lords beside Berton froze, their smiles stiffening instantly.

  Only then did they realize, belatedly, that according to the chatter, this Allen, though Berton's apprentice, was actually weak.

  He was a mere underpowered individual, entirely unworthy of the title of Headmaster's core apprentice.

  The noble lords on the platform forced awkward smiles, exchanged glances, and tacitly avoided mentioning Allen.

  They paid no attention to the chatter of the apprentices around them, as if they had heard nothing at all.

  Berton sat upright in the main seat of the viewing platform, his posture straight and formal, maintaining the calm composure of a Headmaster.

  But only he knew that inside, he was mortified beyond words, wishing he could split open the ground and disappear.

  He forced down his embarrassment, exhaled a long breath, and the corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily. Hastily, he changed the subject, forcing a stiff smile toward the noble lords beside him.

  "Enough of these trivial matters. Let us drink."

  The lords hurriedly raised their glasses, emptied them in one go, and then expressed their admiration.

  "Excellent wine! Truly excellent! Rich in flavor, as expected of Luminara Magic Academy's own special brew!"

  "Luminara Magic Academy really has profound heritage!"

  After drinking together, the central area of the viewing platform fell into an awkward silence once again, with no one daring to speak first.

  Yet the crowd surrounding the platform remained lively, voices rising and falling in constant chatter and exclamations.

  Almost everyone's conversation centered on Allen, and the topic lingered for a long time.

  In the midst of the ongoing chatter, the resource battle officially began.

  At that moment, the crystal mirrors on the viewing platform began to display clear images.

  Each mirror corresponded to a specific region of the battlefield, showing the movements of the participating apprentices in real time.

  Originally, a few prodigy apprentices had been the focus of attention, but now their presence was completely overshadowed by Allen.

  All eyes were fixed on a single crystal mirror, and within it, Allen's figure was reflected.

  Allen moved swiftly through the dense forest, agile and decisive.

  The resource battle spanned an immense area, with over five hundred apprentices scattered across the rolling mountains and thick woodlands.

  Although there were many participants, encountering one another in the vast forest was far from easy.

  Most other apprentices had already hidden in secluded corners, unwilling to reveal their positions too early.

  They were here to compete for magical resources, and prudence demanded observing the situation before making a move.

  Allen, however, had no such concerns. He had not come for the resources. His sole purpose was to fight.

  Especially Kaelor, the one who had trampled on Evelyn's feelings and publicly mocked him, demanded special attention.

  Within the protective magic array, the mist was noticeably thinner than in other parts of the Shadow Mountains, giving Allen a much clearer line of sight for locating his targets.

  The magical beasts that had previously lurked in this area had long since been driven away by the academy's elders to ensure the battle proceeded smoothly.

  Allen moved rapidly through the forest for several hours, yet he did not encounter a single apprentice.

  This frustrated him, and his brow furrowed slightly. Clearly, these others intended to stay hidden, waiting until the later stages of the resource battle to act.

  He understood perfectly that by the end of the battle, the resources would gradually concentrate in the hands of a few strong competitors. Acting later would save magical energy and allow one to claim far more at once.

  No wonder everyone chose to remain hidden rather than reveal themselves early.

  On the viewing platform, everyone was once again bewildered by Allen's seemingly confusing actions, and the murmurs rose and fell in waves.

  "What exactly is he doing? Has he never had any experience with a resource battle?"

  "Even if he has never participated personally, he should have heard the rules from other apprentices who have!"

  "Why leave a perfectly safe hiding spot to run around in the forest? Isn't he just wasting his own energy?"

  "Wait until he encounters a strong opponent and a major clash erupts. He might drain all his magical energy first and collapse from exhaustion!"

  "It is ridiculous. The Headmaster's core apprentice does not even understand the basics of a resource battle. No wonder they call him Max-Level Trash!"

  Inside the battlefield, Allen did not feel that his movements through the forest were wasting energy.

  His magical energy exceeded that of ordinary people by hundreds of times. It was even slower than the rate at which he naturally absorbed mana from the air, so there was no real expenditure at all.

  After searching through the forest for a while, a blurry human figure finally appeared in a small clearing ahead.

  It was a young man with a tall and straight posture, standing calmly in Allen's path without moving aside.

  Seeing Allen approach, the man bowed slightly but showed no clear hostility.

  "Allen. I did not expect you to join this resource battle," the man said.

  Allen stopped in his tracks and scanned the man, recognizing him. His name was Spencer. They occasionally crossed paths and were not particularly close, but neither were they strangers.

  Allen asked directly,"Have you seen Kaelor?"

  Spencer seemed surprised that Allen asked about Kaelor right away."Allen, you are looking for Kaelor?"

  "I haven't seen him. But I think you probably won't have the chance to meet him either."

  Allen frowned slightly."Why? Did something happen to him? Has he already been eliminated?"

  Spencer shook his head lightly."Not at all. You should have heard of Kaelor's strength. There is no way he could be taken out so easily."

  "However, since we meet here, I cannot let personal ties hold me back."

  As he spoke, Spencer's magical aura gradually intensified.

  "Allen, you should understand that this is a resource battle. The winner claims the resources. The loser leaves the field."

  "Although you are usually kind and friendly, even toward apprentices from ordinary backgrounds like us, now that you are here, do not blame me for taking action against you."

  Allen nodded slightly at Spencer's words. He remained completely calm, a faint smile appearing on his face.

  Finally, someone had made the first move. This was perfect. He could use them to warm up, and at the same time, assert his own presence.

  Meanwhile, everyone on the viewing platform was now staring intently at the crystal mirror reflecting the two of them. The murmurs grew louder and more intense. Everyone was convinced that Allen was certain to lose.

  "It looks like this duel will end quickly!"

  "Although Apprentice Spencer has just been promoted to Ninth-tier Senior Mage, his combat ability is extremely strong."

  "In contrast, Allen will probably not even be able to withstand a single strike from Spencer!"