pearl of wisdom

[Season 2] Chapter 38 - Tender Strength

Once you had reached the final gatekeeper after you swiftly dealt with the lower level gatekeepers whilst Hockney's eyes were out of commission, Mata cheered loudly, "We finally arrived!!"

"This giant bug is so fast. . ."

"Of course! It doesn't have all of those legs for nothing!!"

"What does having lots of legs have to do with being fast?"

"A. . . aren't the two related?"

"So you don't know."

You turned over your shoulder as a shuffle met your ears, Baam's rising form greeting your vision among the crimson. With light steps you approached him, kneeling next to him as you spoke, "Breate in with me. . . One. . . Two. . . Three. . . One. . . Two. . . Three. . . How are you feeling, Baam?"

"I'm. . . fine." Baam stood, grabbing onto your hand as you pulled him up, "But. . . where are we?"

"Well. . . we're about to pass through the final gatekeeper." You turned to Hockney and Mata who approached you, "Could you two please explain the situation to Baam?"

Hockney nodded plainly, "Ok. . . Are you really going to face the gatekeeper alone?"

"I said I'd take care of it, didn't?" You walked pass them. Baam's fingers ghosted over your garments, ". . . Wait. . . I'll go with you."

"Baam, you don't know what's happening-"

"It's fine. I'll catch up." And he walked to your side. Hockney and Mata exchanged glances, walking behind you as you led them to the mouth of the bug from its' eye, "Alright. If violent escalation occurs, stand down. Understood?"

Though Baam nodded shakily, he had no intention of following through your request. Stepping into the light, just behind the teeth of the bug, you places a hand on your chest, your typical smile on your face, "Hello, gatekeeper. My comrades and I must go to the Floor of Death, thusly, please step aside and allow us to pass."

"The living cannot enter the Floor of Death. So you three must hand over your souls and become the dead. If you wish to enter, hand over your souls to these Divine sea fish." Your gaze momentarily drifted to the still shinhueh, fingers ghosting over the hidden scales on the back of your hands, "Intruders, tell me your names."

"David Hockney."

"The 25th Baam. . .!"

"I am [Last name] [Name]."

"Very well. Hand over your souls." And motionless silence rang through the entrance as every living creature remained still. The gatekeeper's gaze flickered to the fish who held sunken composures, their heads tilted downwards, away from the gazes they received as they squished into each other, "What. . .?"

"Oh. . . it seems we've come to an impasse." You hummed, "I suggest you check on the Divine sea fish first."

"No. . . I'll just have to test you first." Voids from which sharp, large bamboo spears stuck out of formed in the sky, their pointed tops pointed to you and your comadres. Mata screamed, "I-it's the bamboo spears! The final gatekeeper's shinsu bamboo spears!!"

"Ugh!!" Baam grunted, his thron flaring to life by his shoulder as he pushed you behind him. And in instant the spears shot down. You outstretched a hand to the countless spears, "Baam, send a shinsu black hole-sphere to the empty center of the bamboo spear."

We just have to wait until that princess acts.

"What!? The empty center!? Err. . . Alright!" He formed the shpere in his hand, all the nearby shinsu whirling around his hand. And he shot, the iridescent trail flaring into the hollow center before the bamboo exploded into shards. It's only when halations of surging waves emerge from the black hole-sphere does every other bamboo sphere diffuse into droplets.