Death... and me

Rean carefully approached, once again telling Sister Orb to be ready to pull him in. He got inside the fifty-meter range of attacks, and the gate seemed to come alive again. However, the colored shine of the two cubic images only lasted a fraction of a second before disappearing once again. Obviously, it tried to attack the newcomer, but it didn't have more energy to do so.

Rean then collected the piece of Hyeoumu's shell, looking at it with curiosity. "To think his shell had such a feature... I wonder if it would be the same against other types of attack as well."

Seeing that Rean was fine, Zandolf and Essefy approached as well, obviously looking at the item in Rean's hand. "Just... what is this thing?" Essefy asked.

Yet, Zandolf narrowed his eyes. "This thing... I feel like I have seen something similar in the past..."

Rean looked at Zandolf, not surprised by that comment. "Senior is at the Divinity Realm, so you definitely know about Hyeoumu, right? The ridiculously gigantic creature that holds the Realm of Gods on its back."

"Ah!" Immediately, Zandolf recognized the item. "It is part of the floor of the Continental Barriers!" Zandolf was in the Divinity Realm, so he was obviously privy to the secret of the Realm of Gods. "But... I always heard Hyeoumu absolutely hates anyone bothering him. Even we had to pay a huge price to convince him to turn off the release of energy that turns into the Continental Barriers. The last one I heard to touch his shell was completely wiped out of existence."

Rean mentally bitterly smiled. Zandolf wasn't wrong. They truly did almost get wiped out by Hyeoumu. Fortunately, Soul Gem came out and helped them settle the matter. However, he also couldn't tell that they went down there or anything else, so he had another excuse. "I don't know about this bad temperament of Hyeoumu. What I know is that this piece of shell came from him. Sure enough, senior Zandolf confirmed it now. I bought this piece of Hyemoumu's shell a long time ago in an underground auction, so I don't know who was the previous owner either."

Zandolf wasn't an idiot. He didn't know if Rean was telling the truth or not, but he wouldn't simply believe it. Nonetheless, the fact that Rean was here at least confirmed to Zandolf that Rean wasn't the one who first got that piece of shell... or so he believed. "I see."

Rean didn't mind whether Zandolf believed him. Instead, Rean simply offered that shell to Zandolf. "If senior wants it, this junior doesn't mind."

However, Zandolf immediately shook his head. "No need. Since it is yours, then it is yours. I haven't fallen to such a point yet."

Instead, he just looked at the gate in front of them. "Now then, the danger on this side is over. How do we open this thing?"

Essefy wanted to ask more about this creature holding the Realm of Gods. It was the first time he heard about it. However, seeing that Zandolf didn't insist on the topic, he could only put his curiosity aside for the moment.

Zandolf approached the gate carefully, ready to once again bite the bullet and run. Still, even though the gate seemed to be trying to activate the cubic symbols, it didn't find the energy for it. Zandolf then touched the gate, trying to push it open. Unfortunately, it was too hard, even for him, with his cultivation. His full strength didn't make it even budge. "Physical strength seems to be out of the question."

Rean then got on Zandolf's side. "Maybe it is. How about the two of us try it together?"

Zandolf glanced at Rean. He could use much more Divine Origin Energy to strengthen himself, so Rean shouldn't have even a tenth of his physical power. Adding Rean or any of the others to the equation wouldn't make much of a difference. Still, it wasn't like he had a better idea. "Alright, but don't expect much."

Rean smiled, and they both put their hands on only one of the two doors of the gate. After all, why try to open both? Immediately, Rean's Starlight Body Cultivation was activated. Not only that, Rean's Sky Energy also ran through his body, increasing his physical strength to a frightening level. Kentucky might have the highest defense, but if it was pure strength, Rean and Roan definitely weren't much different from him.

Right after, they used their full strength to try to push it open.

*Paq, paq, paq...*

Several sparks began to come out of the joints of the gate, showing signs of being opened. Rean was still not as strong as Zandolf with all his methods, but he certainly wasn't that far. Zandolf's eyes lit up, not expecting Rean's addition to truly make such a difference. He put even more effort into trying to push for that last bit of necessary power.

Yet, the gate continued not opening, much to their distress. Suddenly...

*Bang!*

The head of a Divine Bird hit the part of the gate above Zandolf and Rean, helping them. Naturally, it was Kentucky who had a similar strength as Rean when going all out.

*Crack, crack, crack...*

The sound of something moving finally came out, and the gate door they were pushing forward began to move slowly. Seeing that result, even Essefy, who wasn't that good with physical strength, joined the effort.

*Hrummmmmm...*

The sound of stone dragging against stone came out, and the door finally opened. As soon as it reached an opening big enough for people to pass, Zandolf pulled out a strange piece of metal from his Pocket Dimensional Realm, positioning it between the opening of the two gate doors.

*Bang!*

Finally, Rean, Kentucky, Essefy, and Zandolf let the door go, and it immediately tried to close shut. However, with that metal there, it couldn't push its way through, keeping that space where one could use to pass.