Madam, Are You a Transcendent? (Bonus Chapter for 'eaflon')

"What kind of Monstrous Strength is this?!"

The moment Rein was pulled, he was terrified, his hair standing on end.

His first thought was: what else could be in this pitch-black passage besides that Tentacle Monster?!

Instinctively, he wanted to break free from the thing holding his shoulder.

But he couldn't break free from that immense force.

At that moment, Rein's fighting instincts kicked in incredibly fast. He knew that he couldn't fight against such overwhelming power head-on; he had to use technique. Then, reflexively, he braced himself with one hand, trying to turn around and break free of the control.

But at that moment, the being behind him reacted even faster. Just as Rein was about to break free, it suddenly reached out a slender hand and covered Rein's mouth!

"Waaah... waaah."

Coincidentally, the hand that Rein used to brace himself against something pressed against something else, but it didn't feel like a wall, nor did it feel like the tentacles of Tentacle Monster. His fingers unconsciously sank into it; it was soft and incredibly bouncy, like... well-formed dough?

Then, the being behind them suddenly spoke, in a human voice.

Shh! Don't speak!

When Rein heard the voice, he realized that it was actually a person who had grabbed him.

And, she's a woman?!

Upon closer listening, holy crap, why does this voice sound so familiar?

Although the coquettish tone was gone, replaced by a light and hurried one, Rein recognized her immediately. Wasn't this the vice president of the Black Gold Merchant Guild, Canossa J. Claufer, who used the alias "Madam Vanessa"?

Canossa seemed afraid that Rein didn't know how terrifying the tentacle monster was, so she kept covering his mouth and didn't dare to let go, while also peeking out to observe the various passageways from time to time.

The two remained pressed tightly together in the corner, their skin touching, their body heat sharing, and they could even clearly feel each other's heartbeats.

However, in this critical moment, it seemed that no one noticed that the posture was somewhat ambiguous.

What's going on?

Rein was still in a daze. He had been chased by the Tentacle Monster and was running around in a panic. Now he had actually run into an acquaintance.

Wasn't she missing?

It's actually inside a sinkhole?

And isn't this lady a weak rich woman? What was that "Monstrous Strength" she showed just now? Is she Transcendent?

In an instant, countless questions flashed through Rein's mind.

About six or seven breaths later, Rein felt the hand covering his mouth loosen its grip.

"Call"

Canossa finally breathed a long sigh of relief, seemingly having heard the monster's commotion fade into the distance.

Then, she looked down at the groping hand that was pressed against her chest by Rein and said irritably, "Hey, Doctor Rein, I'm trying to help you, shouldn't you take your hand off now?"

"Ah"

Rein seemed to have touched a hot potato and pulled it back as if he had been electrocuted.

I was trying to push away the "monster" behind me, but it turned out to be a person. Then I was pressed down so tightly that I forgot...

Since there was a reason for it, neither of them felt awkward. And although Mrs. Canossa made a joke, she clearly didn't really mind.

At this moment, Rein asked curiously, "Mrs. Canossa, what are you doing here? I heard from Sam that Susan and the others died, I thought you were here."

"It's a long story."

Just as Canossa was about to explain something, she suddenly caught a glimpse of the information in Rein's painting and asked with slight surprise, "Sam is still alive?"

Rein said, "Yes! When you were attacked in Red Stone Canyon, he was responsible for covering the rear and got separated from you, right? Then he was seriously injured and escaped back to City of Radiance for help, and your merchant guild put an SSS bounty on you. Then, Uncle Sam recovered from his injuries and came to the forest again. I happened to run into him just now."

Upon hearing this, Canossa seemed thoughtful, but not particularly surprised.

Compared to Sam's situation, he looked at Rein with even more confusion and asked, "Doctor Rein, what are you doing here?"

Although she had been trapped for two months and had no idea what was happening outside, the depths of the "Ashen Forest" were fraught with danger, and it was also the heartland of the barbarians. Even their elite squad, as strong as their merchant guild's, had been wiped out before; for a low-level Transcendent to enter, it was practically certain death!

How did this young doctor survive and even get so far in this place?

The next moment, she pressed on, "Huh, you've advanced to the Second Tier Transcendent level?"

Now that the crisis has temporarily subsided, Canossa has noticed Rein's unusual behavior.

In her haste, she pulled Rein back, but the force of his resistance was considerable. It was a "Monstrous Strength" that even a pure power-enhancing Golden Potion could not achieve.

I didn't have time to think about it carefully before, but now that I think about it, I'm naturally shocked.

In an instant, she guessed what it was and exclaimed in surprise, "You've already mastered the [Great Strength Demon God] Body Refining Secret Method?"

"The Secret Technique of the Great Strength Demon God? Me."

Rein frowned, thinking of the "Great Strength God Art" that Uncle Sam had given him.

However, now is clearly not the time to explain these things, and the tunnel where this monster appears is not a suitable place to stay.

"Come, follow me!"

Without waiting for Rein's reply, Canossa grabbed his wrist and slipped into a tunnel.

It was then that Rein realized that Mrs. Canossa seemed to be quite familiar with this fellow traveler.

Moreover, she seemed to have already marked some corners of the passageway, and after a few quick movements, she left the previous dirt passageway and arrived at a small house paved with bluestone.

Clearly, this is her "safe house".

The two talked for ten minutes.

Rein's expression grew increasingly strange.

He looked at the stunningly beautiful woman before him, who was dressed in an exquisite cheongsam even in the dim Underground Palace, and said incredulously, "So... you broke into the pit two months ago and have been staying there ever since."

This seemingly delicate noblewoman actually stayed alone in the dark and sunless sinkhole for two months. Not only did she not die, but she also figured out all the paths in the sinkhole.

"Um."

Canossa hadn't spoken to anyone for two months, but seeing an acquaintance now, she explained a few more words, "This temple is very important to me. I have received definite information that this is most likely the temple of Divine General Morogos, the 21st of the 'Monkel Seventy-Two Divine Generals,' the [Great Strength Demon God]. If there are any 'Divine Power Crystal' left behind by that deity here, they would be the most suitable for my advancement. So, even if the risks are great, I will absolutely not give up!"

Rein listened, his eye twitched slightly. You don't need to worry about it anymore; he could be certain that this was the temple ruins of that divine general.

After thinking for a moment, he asked with a strange expression, "So... Madam, you are Transcendent?"

Canossa probably guessed where Rein's shock came from, and said with a smile, "Did I say I wasn't?"

"."

Upon hearing this, Rein twitched his face in annoyance.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. I never asked her, and I just assumed from the start that she must be an ordinary person because of her delicate appearance.

Then, recalling the Monstrous Strength she had displayed earlier, Rein immediately understood and asked, "So, Madam, you also practiced that Monstrous Strength Body Refining Secret Method?"

Canossa seemed to have no intention of hiding anything anymore, a hint of mockery in her eyes, as she said, "Yes. The secret manual you learned was given to you by Sam, I asked him to do it."

Rein thought to himself: Just as I thought.

Then, almost simultaneously, the two asked in unison, "How did you master that secret technique?"

The two spoke at the same time, looked at each other in surprise, and then burst into laughter.

Those who understand this secret technique naturally know that it is extremely difficult to even begin. It's safe to say that ordinary Transcendent individuals simply cannot master it!

Renn took a shortcut because he had the secret method of [Threading Needles and Threads], and he also relied on his brain to condense the "Gang Thread". Others couldn't do it even if they had this method.

That's why he was curious about how this Lady Canossa was made.

Looking at it now, she not only mastered it, but her level of skill was probably either "perfect" or "the pinnacle".

Kano chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand, and replied first, "Didn't I tell you before? If you control your battle qi so that it doesn't leak out, you can master that secret technique."

She paused, realizing her words might be difficult to understand, and added, "However, there are no shortcuts to this 'Qi Control' technique; you have to keep trying. Once you've mastered your battle qi to its fullest extent, you'll gradually reduce the amount leaking out."

"."

Rein rolled his eyes at the sound of it.

Controlling one's fighting spirit from leaking out is like a person controlling the heat generated on their body surface—it's practically impossible!

But upon hearing this, Rein suddenly understood why he had always sensed that this lady was an ordinary person. It wasn't that she lacked fighting spirit; rather, she had completely locked it within her body, without letting it leak out at all.

This is an ultimate technique for Qi Control.

After explaining her method, Canossa blinked and asked curiously, "And you? It's only been a few months, and you've already advanced to the Second Tier. Moreover, it seems you've mastered that secret technique to a minor degree?"

That's what surprised her.

If Rein specializes in the "Hercules Art," he can indeed master the Cultivation Method in a short period of time.

However, the excessive consumption of battle qi will cause the Transcendent realm to stagnate.

Therefore, she was very surprised that in just a few months, Rein not only reached the Second Tier the Transcendent Realm, but also mastered the [Great Strength Demon God] secret technique!

Since the secret technique was given to him by someone else, Rein felt there was no point in hiding it, and said, "My advanced Extraordinary Sequence has an exclusive skill that allows me to control my battle qi to flow through my muscles without dissipating, so I mastered it."

"There's such a secret technique?"

Canossa was also quite surprised to hear this.

If it were in this world, the Black Gold Merchant Guild would buy it at any cost. But the fact that they'd never heard of it makes this secret method very intriguing.

Rein didn't want to explain further, "That secret technique can't be learned by others. It's exclusive to my Extraordinary Profession and requires a very high level of talent."

Both Bazel and the Great Shaman Mafat confirmed this point: the skill of "Thread Needle Thread" is extremely difficult to master.

"Oh"

Canossa looked into Rein's eyes but didn't ask any further questions, as this involved privacy.

Moreover, she felt that if Rein said others couldn't learn it, then they really couldn't learn it.

Looking back now, it seems I made the right choice to give him that secret technique. Even if these few only achieve "minor success," it's not impossible for them to reach mastery, even without "Qi Control" like me.

At this moment, this stunningly beautiful lady, whose boundless charm could not be concealed even without feigned coquetry, seemed to have thought of something, and a strange expression appeared on her pretty face.

Canossa did not dwell on the topic; instead, she had more pressing matters at hand.

She asked, "What exactly happened up there? I heard a lot of noise earlier."

"That's a long story."

Rein slowly recounted, "It all started with the attack you suffered. Back then, 'City of Radiance' issued All-out War Conscription and launched a campaign to conquer 'Ashen Forest.' And then..."

When did the hunting begin, when did they advance into the jungle, and how did the Five Great Families launch a surprise attack on the Central Courtyard Tribe?

Then the Black Tide erupted, revealing that the outer forest was actually a giant flower.

Canossa was completely bewildered.

If she hadn't known Rein, she would have thought she was listening to a troubadour boasting about his extravagant story.

So much has happened outside in the past two months?

No wonder she heard noises and saw many things fall into the pit earlier; now she understands.

After a long while, Canossa finally recovered from her shock. "So, the path to this temple has been blocked by that Giant Flower?"

Rein nodded. "Those Red Robe Mage from City of Radiance guessed that the only way out might be to see if there's a way out beneath the temple."

Canossa: "You mean there were even more survivors?"

Rein: "I don't know exactly how much, but it's definitely a lot."

Within this forest enclosed by the Giant Flower, there were not only people from City of Radiance, but also people from the Kolman Tribe. Regardless, there were others who survived.

"I see."

Upon hearing this, Canossa frowned slightly.

Hearing that others were also looking for the temple made her feel a sense of urgency.

As for how to get out, Canossa wasn't too worried. After all, there was no immediate danger to her life; the "Divine Power Crystal" was the more pressing matter.

Thinking of this, she said to Rein, "I've determined the approximate location of the temple, but there's one last sealed Bronze Door leading to it that I can't open! Perhaps it requires a key, or something else. I'm trying to find clues to open it within these ruins."

Upon hearing this, Rein finally understood.

It wasn't too much of a coincidence that we encountered it before.

Instead, Lady Canossa was searching for clues to open the door in the ruins when she heard the noise in the passageway. She came over and saw Rein running around in the passageway, so she pulled him back.

At this point, Canossa added, "I've discovered that the Tentacle Monster's activity pattern is quite regular. It's very easy to be discovered in certain tunnels, but it's absolutely safe in others. So, stay here and don't wander off."

"Ha?"

Rein roughly knew which passages she was describing, and thought to himself: There are clearly danger warnings written on the rock walls.

Of course, this requires being able to recognize "Monkel Ancient Language".

Clearly, Canossa felt it was safe here for the time being and had no intention of taking Rein, this burden, into the perilous Underground Palace to search for clues. She said, "That 'Tentacle Monster' is extremely sensitive to human presence. You wait here for me and don't wander off. I'll go look for clues to open the door first."

After watching Canossa finish speaking, Rein looked eager to go out and find clues on his own.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Wait a minute."

Canossa looked at him with surprise and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I think you could take me to see that Bronze Door first."

Rein's tone was slightly complicated as he said, "Perhaps, I can be of some help."

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