"What's wrong, Master?"

Veia couldn't help but ask Rant Valo when she saw the shocked expression on his face.

"I can feel that my body is much stronger than before! This is unbelievable. Just what did Master Floriana do to me?"

Rant Valo wondered out loud. Her smacks that he thought were just punishment were just actually her way of strengthening his body. But why didn't she inform him?

"Grandmaster improved your strength??"

Veia was bewildered. She thought that Floriana Sabina would have smacked her master many times, but she does not even see any bruises. Instead, her master looks the same and is even stronger than before.

"Yes, I think so."

Rant Valo nodded his head. Although it was unbelievable that she was actually strengthening his body all that time, he was forced to believe it as it was the only plausible explanation that he could think of.

"That's amazing! Grandmaster really cares so much about you."

Veia exclaimed in amazement.

"Hahaha… I don't think so…"

Rant Valo chuckled wryly at her words. If only she knew what torture and pain he went through, she wouldn't think the same.

"Why not, Master? She seemed really angry when she went in here. So for her to actually strengthen your body instead, isn't that proof that she cares about you?"

Veia explained to Rant Valo.

"Forget it. I don't want to talk about what happened earlier."

Rant Valo shook his head. Just remembering what happened earlier made Rant Valo feel the pain again.

"Aww?"

Veia slumped down her head reluctantly. She was still very curious about what really happened in here.

"I'll cultivate my 10th magic technique now, Veia."

Rant Valo informed Veia before he sat down on the floor. He opened his cultivation manual and started reading through the instructions.

"Mm."

Veia nodded before she left the underground room so Rant Valo could have some quiet peace. She then went to find Floriana Sabina.

Before long, she found Floriana Sabina sitting on top of a tree branch as she swung her legs back and forth.

"Grandmaster?"

Veia called her.

"Oh, Veia? What is it?"

Floriana Sabina asked with a relaxed smile on her face. After what happened inside the underground room, Floriana Sabina was not worried about anything anymore.

"Grandmaster, what did you do to Master? He didn't want to tell me."

Veia asked her with a face full of curiosity.

"Hmph! I smacked him till he was black and blue."

Floriana Sabina's face changed, and she snorted as she replied.

"R-Really? But Master said that he became stronger."

Veia raised her eyebrows in confusion. She didn't even see any bruise on her master's body. Or could it be hidden!? All of a sudden, Veia couldn't help but become worried for her master.

"Of course! That was because I strengthened his body by stimulating his muscles to grow stronger and harder. It's a technique I happen to know."

Floriana Sabina raised her chin in pride. She didn't want to just hurt her disciple for nothing. It was what one would call, striking two birds with one stone. Veia sighed in relief after hearing her words.

"I see. So did you say it to him?"

Veia asked Floriana Sabina with a teasing smile. Floriana Sabina blushed when she heard Veia's words.

"I did! So what?"

Floriana Sabina answered Veia arrogantly.

"That's great! I'm looking forward to it when Master tells me that he would also marry you."

Veia replied with a joyous smile on her face. She could already see it—the time when Master would also ask to marry Floriana Sabina.

"Hmph. Just wait. I'll show you."

Floriana Sabina snorted and turned her head away from Veia. She had this arrogance around her as she sat on the tree branch.

"Yes!"

Veia beamed happily at her words.

A day later, Rant Valo opened his eyes. He had mastered the final magic technique for the Mana Condensation stage.

Rant Valo exited the underground room and found to his surprise, that Floriana Sabina and Veia were chatting as they sat beside each other.

"Veia? Master Floriana?"

Rant Valo called out to them in surprise.

"Oh, Disciple! We have been waiting for you."

"Master, you are done now?"

Both Floriana Sabina and Veia greeted Rant Valo with a smile. Rant Valo thought that he was seeing things. He has never seen Floriana Sabina and Veia so close to each other.

"Yes, I'm ready to try it out."

Rant Valo nodded his head solemnly. This magic technique was very different from the previous magic techniques. It would protect him from his opponent's attacks.

"I'm ready, Disciple."

Floriana Sabina said to Rant Valo. She had already walked to her previous spot. The aftermath of what happened yesterday was still there, which made her spot especially obvious.

"Master Floriana, this time, you will attack me."

Rant Valo said to her.

"Hohh. So you have a defensive magic technique with you?"

Floriana Sabina smirked, hearing Rant Valo's words. She could guess that he was going to use a defensive magic technique as she was the one to attack.

"Yes, it's a very odd one too."

Rant Valo nodded his head candidly. It was apparent just how complex it was because this magic technique took him a whole day to master.

"Tell me when you are ready, Disciple."

Floriana Sabina said to him. She rested her hands on her hips as she stood in front of him.

"Tortoise Fortune's Defence."

Rant Valo murmured as he closed his eyes, and his body started to glow yellow. The dirt on the ground was sucked and compressed in front of him. It formed a wall of rock that floated as it waited for Floriana Sabina's attack.

"Ready."

Rant Valo opened his eyes and said to Floriana Sabina.

"Alright."

Floriana Sabina nodded her head, and a very tiny ember of white flame appeared from her hand. It traveled towards Rant Valo's Tortoise Fortune's Defence at breakneck speed. It then transformed into a giant outburst of white flame.

FWOOOSHH

The white flame hit against the Tortoise Fortune's Defence.