A brave man may not live, but he cannot die

Chapter 222 Re-entering the Forbidden Forest (Part 1)

July 18th, Saturday morning, four hours before the second Abyss Fall—

"Damn it, are we going to the Abyss to find Dad or to go on vacation to the Maldives? Should I bring you two more bottles of lotion and moisturizer?"

Quinn stared at the box in front of him, somewhat distraught.

The abyss is the dream of the world, and things that are too real cannot appear in dreams.

Normally, equipment brought into the Abyss needs to meet specific conditions.

First, there are items made of common materials without any unusual features. These include wristwatches, iron weapons, armor, flintlock pistols, and so on. The most useful of these is an abyss compass invented by a hero. It is made of pure lodestone and can indicate the return direction from the entrance to the upper or lower levels in the abyss. However, in Temuran, to find a direction, one needs to use the 'pilgrimage ritual' that always points to the center of the world, Saint Camelot Island.

Secondly, there are items of extremely high mysterious status, or 'living' objects assimilated by extraordinary characteristics. Things like Quinn's revolver 'Mista,' the academy's black trench coat, or various divination tools and amulets with spiritual properties are all unusable in the abyss. They will be turned into trash by a strange rule, or even disappear directly.

Only items of extremely high mysterious status—either those from a pre-apocalyptic era, those imbued with terrifying power, or those blessed by high-ranking beings or even gods—can counteract the influence of the abyss's power and barely exert some effect.

Thirdly, there are arcane artifacts. These include wands, arcane items, potions, scrolls, and magic crystals. The problem with arcane artifacts is that they are slowly worn down by the Abyss over time. Even the most sophisticated, mana-rich high-level treasures will become scrap metal in the Abyss within a week, but they can be restored to their original state when brought back to the mortal world.

The box Quinn was preparing to take into the Abyss contained a new katana forged from black blade fragments, with almost no special effects, just pure stats.

In addition, there is Amamiya Nene's wand, fifteen extra-thick arcane scrolls, the antidote to the druid's transformation potion, healing potions, fire potions and explosive potions, as well as a full set of magic rings and chains.

Because she's rather lazy and doesn't like to study, the little witch's arcane skills, aside from divination, are quite average. However, she's rich, so she can make up for her lack of level with better equipment.

Quinn had specially prepared a large 1.5-meter-long trunk, which he could carry on his back like a cello case. He also bought a flintlock pistol and a revolver. The trunk should have been big enough, but now it wouldn't fit the two guns.

The reason is that the empty space was filled with Amamiya Nene's clothes: black stockings, underwear, briefs, and a set of both warm and breathable sportswear.
Quinn made a special trip to Amamiya Nene's estate to get these things. Unexpectedly, her house was right next to Branson's estate, the very same King's Manor that looked even more impressive than the richest man's mansion.

With her hands on her hips, Amamiya Nene's attitude left no room for negotiation: "I will never wear the same pair of stockings twice."

Is this the problem?

"You should be grateful; you're the first man to see Lady Amamiya Nene's underwear," she said in a condescending tone.

Quinn unceremoniously tossed out those black bras that were taking up space—to be fair, Amamiya Nene's fashion sense was top-notch; both her bras and panties were artistic styles worthy of being on the Victoria's Secret runway. Having already taken off his girlfriend's underwear a few times, Quinn deeply felt the difference between a young girl and a mature woman. Even her black stockings were custom-made and sterile from the factory. But what use were these things in the abyss?

"What?! What are you doing?!"

"Just wear this for two days. When you come back and change, it won't smell bad."

"I want to drink the transformation potion!"

"Then drink it." Quinn wondered what this had to do with him.

"Are you an idiot?!" Amamiya Nene couldn't take it anymore and stomped her foot in anger: "You'll be naked after you turn back! You want me to run naked with you in the abyss?"

"Then why not just bring one set?"

"I'm on my period." Her aloof oval face flushed slightly as she turned her head away and snorted, "I'm in poor health; a gust of wind can make my stomach hurt so badly I can't walk."

"."

Quinn silently moved the two guns aside.

If they don't want to bring them, that's fine. Actually, those two guns were prepared for Amamiya Nene, so she could have a weapon to defend herself if the arcane magic failed on the fourth floor. Quinn doesn't need firearms; making a documentary about him now would be like a superhero movie, since his supernatural abilities are unaffected in the Abyss.

"If the same thing happens again, it's pointless to bring anything."

Amamiya Nene sulked and ignored him.

He thought for a while and concluded that there was unlikely to be any more Abyss Transcendent beings committing crimes this time. But just in case, he went into the room, grabbed something, and carefully placed it in the box.

"Take this with you too."

Upon seeing this, Amamiya Nene's expression softened slightly.

That was a branch her father left for her, or rather, for Quinn.

The branch was long, but fortunately it was straight enough that it could be placed into the box at an angle.

Quinn glanced at the time and chuckled, "Big Brother, it's time to take your medicine."

He couldn't wait to see what magical creature Amamiya Nene would transform into.

"We need to sign a familiar contract first."

Is it necessary to go this far?

"Weaker magical creatures will go berserk when they enter the abyss, only familiars protected by a contract can remain unaffected. Moreover, having a contract makes it less likely to be suspected."

Amamiya Nene tossed a piece of paper to Quinn, covered with neatly handwritten clauses. "You know psychic rituals, right? Add them in and read them aloud."

After saying that, she picked up the spirit sand and candles she had prepared beforehand and began to set up the arcane array.

After reading for a while, Quinn laughed in anger: "Damn it, even Li Hongzhang wouldn't dare sign this treaty."

"What? You're lucky to be my dog!"

Familiar Contract (×), Master-Servant Contract (√)
1.任何时候都不准违逆主人；2.必须服从主人的一切命令；3.不能对主人产生任何性幻想；4.把偷来的黑丝还给主人；5.在主人需要时给主人按摩.25.使魔奎恩，主人雨宫宁宁。

Quinn threw it away like toilet paper and scolded, "Make something that aligns with modern marriage values."

Amamiya Nene pouted unhappily: "Just remove the familiar restriction clause in the middle of the ritual and replace it with the friendly template. So many people are begging to be one, but no one has the connections."

Quinn recalled the psychic ritual, an ancient soul ritual passed down from the Clock Tower, which could build a "bridge" between two highly inspired individuals and achieve different effects through different ritual variations.

And the familiar ritual.
Quinn stood in the center of the array that Amamiya Nene had drawn on the ground, channeling his spiritual energy into his throat—

He uttered the obscure ancient Terran language, word by word. Before that lost era, it was in the ancient Terran language that humans prayed to the gods for favorable weather and abundant harvests.

“I. Quinn. In my own name—”

He extended his fingers and began to rotate them clockwise around the candles at the four corners of the formation. Every ninety degrees he rotated, he took three deep breaths and blew his mental energy through the candles like a stream of air.

“The spirit world bears witness, the source of all laws bears witness, and the supreme gods bear witness. With my soul as the seal, I forge a pact with friendly beings, willingly accepting the constraints, and will never be their enemy.”

Amamiya Nene stood opposite him and whispered in Ancient Terra, "I. Nene Amamiya. In my name—"

Quinn, who was maintaining his connection with the magic circle with his eyes closed, had a sudden thought: Ning Yu Palace?
His name 'Quinn' is simply a phonetic representation of his name, without any meaning, so there's no need to translate it into Old Terran, just like 'Amamiya', but 'ning'...
Could this be the Chinese name that the mysterious fellow villager gave his daughter?

Amamiya Nene began moving counter-clockwise, circling the magic circle—the positions for familiars. Each time she passed a corner candle, she paused to breathe, just like Quinn, but she didn't need three times; one was enough to exhale enough spiritual energy.

When their spirits merge, if they open their Demon King's Eyes, they can see a dimly flickering "fire" being ignited. To the naked eye, however, they can only see a candle turning into wax in the void. The shadows cast by the "fire" are like lines that bind the two together. "All beings of the spirit world bear witness, the source of all laws bear witness, the supreme gods bear witness. With my soul as the seal, I forge a pact with a friendly being, willingly accepting the constraints. Never to be enemies."

Her chanting paused inexplicably, and a wicked smile appeared behind Quinn's back, out of his sight.

Quinn sensed something was amiss, but didn't open his eyes to terminate the contract—this kind of contract was weakly binding, completely different from the Demon King's "Command Spell." The "spirit realm," "source," and "all beings" referred to by the ritual language were all vague existences. A more powerful contract would require a more specific target and corresponding sacrifices. This simple contract couldn't possibly bind a mage and a Sequence 7 transcendent.

Moreover, Quinn is in a more dominant "initiator" position, while Amamiya Nene is the "recipient," so the contract should be stronger for her and weaker for herself.

After she had walked a full circle, the two people facing each other opened their eyes at the same time. Quinn bit her thumb with the tip of her teeth and squeezed out a drop of crimson blood.

Amamiya Nene was prepared. As soon as she opened her mouth, a drop of blood floated out. The two drops of blood merged, and the largest invisible "fire" rose up. A gust of wind that rose out of nowhere swept by, blowing the two people's black hair up.

Quinn looked down and saw that the cinnabar powder used to draw the array had turned the color of ordinary sand, and the arcane array was blurred by the wind. It seemed that the contract was completed.

After closing my eyes and sensing for a while, I could indeed perceive a faint, invisible connection between myself and Amamiya Nene.

"You don't seem any more pleasing to the eye, do you?" Amamiya Nene muttered to herself, staring at him.

"I'm sorry I'm ugly. By the way, is that your period blood?"

"Get out!!"

Quinn looked on with anticipation. "Hurry up, I want to see the 'Teen Matrix' transformation. By the way, what will it transform into?"

"How would I know this medicine was stolen from the family storeroom?"

Amamiya Nene picked up the bottle of pure gold druid transformation potion on the table, unscrewed the cap, and a strange smell wafted out, like the grass that hadn't been fully digested in a cow's stomach.

"Are you sure you can drink this?" Quinn thought of the beef offal hot pot.

"If things get worse, give me the antidote immediately."

She mentally prepared herself before staring at the dark bottle opening, then closed her eyes, pinched her nose, and poured it in one gulp—

A minute later, the two people, who had nothing to do, stared at each other blankly.

Amamiya Nene uncertainly turned the bottle over and began to examine the symbols on it.

"Could this be the antidote? Wait, wait a minute... um—"

Quinn slowly widened his eyes.

Amamiya Nene's tall, 1.68-meter frame contorted as if shrinking, growing smaller and smaller until she was completely covered by her clothes. In just ten seconds, she became a tiny, adorable creature—

"Turtle, Sera? Do you still recognize me? I am your master, Nezu Mami."

An extremely delicate voice came from under the clothes:

"Goo-goo-ga?"

There are two hours left until the second abyss collapse.

Inside the office of Vice Dean Hermes, a high-ranking member of the academy's main castle.

As he had promised last time, when Quinn came again, the office was no longer as dark as a morgue without power. The candles floating around it emitted a bright light, illuminating the rows of ebony bookshelves.

Quinn looked around but couldn't find the source of the sound he'd heard like a hundred snakes crawling when he last came. Hermes' office was slightly larger than Amamiya Nene's, and his desk was also under a huge oil painting, except that the person in the painting was one of Merlin's disciples—Grindelwald's first Dean of State.

"How's the potion digesting?" Hermes was somewhat surprised that Quinn had suddenly come to see him.

"Thanks to you, it's alright."

The old man lowered his head slightly, his sharp gaze piercing through his glasses as he scrutinized Quinn, whose expression was somewhat serious.

"The second Abyss Trial for first-year students is about to begin. Mr. Cavendish is not here, so you should be emphasizing the precautions to your students."

"I've already emphasized that, that's why I came here."

"Oh? You want to have a chat with this old man?"

Quinn shook his head. "No, it's about the Abyss Trials."

"Then you should go to the administration office."

He raised his eyes to meet Hermes' gaze and said bluntly, "If the academy intends to delve deeper into Celia's dream and thus take her to a more dangerous depth, then I request that her qualification to enter the abyss be revoked."

Hemo stared at him silently for a while, then shook his head helplessly.

"You think Grindelwald is a clock tower?"

Quinn stared at him without saying a word.

"If I reject you, what do you plan to do?" Hermes asked with great interest.

"Then please allow me to resign."

"Stephens will take care of her one-on-one, only at the outermost edge of the Forbidden Forest. If she becomes unwell, Celia will never set foot in the Forbidden Forest again for the rest of her life."

After hearing this, Quinn quickly became grinning: "Dean, you know I've always been proud to be a member of Grindelwald's team!"

"Studying the Abyss is for heroes," Hermes said calmly. "You're only Sequence Seven now; the levels below the fourth layer of the Abyss are too dangerous for you. Mid- to high-sequence Abyss transcendents are active in the lower Abyss layers."

“I understand, I’ll stay on the first floor with the students and not go anywhere else.” Quinn’s expression was extremely timid and cowardly.

Hermes stared at him.

Where is Mr. Cavendish?

"Isn't she on vacation? She's such a lazy bum, always slacking off."

Hemo stared at him for a long time, but couldn't see anything suspicious, so he closed his eyes and stopped asking questions.

"Then I'll go back to work now."

"Quinn, let me add a few words."

"Most heroes throughout history have been womanizers, each enjoying the blessings of multiple wives through their own abilities. The relationship between the Branson family's little girl and Celia is your private matter, and I won't pry. But, Mr. Cavendish..."

"You have to choose between her and the other; you'd better think it over carefully."

(End of this chapter)