Death... and me

They arrived in the Azum Dimensional Realm sometime later, with the entrance being nothing more than a quite simple Spatial Gate. It was open in the very center of Azum City, which took the Dimensional Realm's name. The city was considered one of the biggest ones in the Angel Realm, even though it wasn't exactly close to the center of the Heavens. Obviously, the city reached that size due to the Azum Dimensional Realm, as it was purposely built around the Realm's entrance. When Ran's group got close, they noticed that the Spatial Gate was indeed simple, but at least it was quite big. It allowed for many angels to enter and leave as they saw fit and was very stable. Aelrie then warned Rean and Kentucky. 'Can you see? There are mainly low-level angels around this place. All hotels and states are filled to the brim with them. At the same time, they all have elders accompanying their groups. Once they die in the 'Illusory World,' the angels who take care of them make sure they don't tell anyone else.'

Rean and Kentucky understood that such an easy-to-find secret probably could only be kept here in the Angel Realm. The Angels had this thing about trust in each other and were by far much more united than any other race in the other two Higher Realms. If it was in the Realm of Gods, it would be really hard to keep this secret about not being able to die from the young cultivators.

Rean then noticed a batch of Angels coming out of the Spatial Gate, some of them with terrified expressions. Others seemed ashamed, while a few seemed to be fine. Although no one spread the news that no one could die, it didn't mean those who 'died' in the Illusory World couldn't come back anymore. The Dimensional Realm continued to be a great training ground, even if you knew you wouldn't lose your life in there. It's just that those who found this secret would never be put together with the young Angels who didn't.

Rean's group then approached the Spatial Gate and was immediately intercepted by the guards. "Sorry, friends. No one above the Void Tempering Realm is allowed inside," said a guard who was obviously in the Elemental Space Realm. He couldn't see Rean and Kentucky's cultivations due to the difference. As for Aelrie, he could see it, but she was still above the limit allowed.

Aelrie then took a token out and passed it to the guard. "We are not here to cause any issues in the Azum Dimensional Realm. Still, we have something we need to do inside. Please let us enter, friend."

Seeing the token, the guard looked in surprise at Aelrie. "So you are members of the Holamenor Clan, uh? Thank you for your service to the Heavens. I already received information that I shouldn't stop you if you appear, so please go ahead. Just make sure no issues happen inside." He then added with a Divine Sense Message. 'And make sure the secret doesn't reach the unaware younglings.'

Aelrie nodded and walked to the Spatial Gate while Rean and Kentucky quickly followed. Finally, they entered it, disappearing inside.

Rean's vision blurred for a second before returning, which he found quite weird. Spatial Gates usually didn't cause vision blur. That feature was something that happened during teleportations inside. Spatial Gates connected two different points through a tunnel, so it was more like really just moving through it.

Rean didn't think too much about it, though. Instead, he looked at the place he had just arrived. It was a grassland that continued as far as his eyes could see. The Spatial Gate, obviously, was right behind him. Other than that, there was nothing... except for the Angels themselves.

Aelrie then pointed forward. 'Can you see the two groups of young angels in the distance?'

Rean and Kentucky nodded. 'Could it be they are in two different locations in the Illusory World?'

Aelrie nodded. 'That's correct, but that's not all. It doesn't matter which direction you move since your consciousness will be dragged into the Illusory World. Also, the area where you appear inside the Illusory World isn't much different, regardless of which direction you choose to move from here.'

'The main reason there are two groups is that the right group is the Angels who don't know you can't really die even if you are killed in the Illusory World. As for the other group on the left, they are all Angels who had been killed in the Illusory World, so they already know they can't die,' Aelrie explained.

Rean and Kentucky liked the method. That prevented both groups from interacting with each other, allowing the unaware group to have true 'life and death' experiences... even though it wasn't real at all. Just the fact they didn't know turned it just as effective as real ones. Rean then ignored both groups. 'So, if we decide to move away from here, we will be dragged into the Illusory World, is it?'

'Yes,' Aelrie confirmed. 'The area up to eleven and a half kilometers around us is the free zone where you are still you. After going past this point, you will enter the Illusory World. It's just that you will feel like you were teleported instead; quite peculiar.'

'What happens once you die in the Illusory World?' Kentucky asked, curious.

Aelrie then pointed to another area. There were tens of thousands of young angels inside this Dimensional Realm, so they seemed somewhat even spread other than the two groups in the Illusory World. Yet, there was a specific area that seemed emptier. Suddenly, a flash of silver light appeared, revealing a terrified angel. He was quickly carried out by a laughing acquaintance following that. Obviously, he didn't seem to know what just happened. Not long after, another angel appeared in that area, but this one simply sighed and moved out on his own. Once in a while, the same scene repeated as Aelrie commented. 'Once you die in the Illusory World, you are teleported away from the groups ahead into that space. It's as simple as that.'

Rean couldn't help but think. 'This Dimensional Realm is different from normal Illusory Formations. Normal Illusory Formations will show you visions of things that don't exist. However, you are still in control of your own body in such cases.'

'However,' Rean's thoughts continued. 'This Dimensional Realm seems to truly pull your consciousness out of your body. That means it has to interact with the soul in some way. Now... the problem is exactly that. My soul is completely protected by the Soul Gem System. Even if I'm far away from Roan, this fact doesn't change. Would I still be dragged into the Illusory World in that case?'

Rean looked ahead and sighed. 'I guess I can only find out if I try.