Back during the Solvren Ruins expedition, Larry had already used this technique to resist the invasive death aura, and now, he was doing the same.
Ging studied the shimmering barrier around him. It resembled a massive soap bubble, clear yet sturdy. The aura inside the cave didn't seem to penetrate it.
"A Nen skill that acts like a defensive shield against the death aura…" Ging muttered to himself, intrigued. What caught his attention even more was how closely the guardian barrier resembled the film covering the cave entrance.
For the first time, Ging felt a quiet but solid certainty: this journey wouldn't be a waste. "Alright, let's put the death aura aside for now. There's something else I want to figure out," he said, his gaze shifting toward the entrance. "Is this thing one-way… or two-way?"
"None of the people who went in ever came back out. That leaves us with two possibilities," Ging said, his tone serious. "One, something inside killed them before they had a chance to escape. Two, they tried to come back but couldn't, the membrane only lets you enter, not leave."
Pyon, always thinking outside the box, considered a third possibility. She figured it would be smart to test the membrane herself before stepping through.
"You don't need to worry too much," Ging replied. "V5 already ran some experiments. They had people go in and then immediately try to come back out. It worked just fine. So, the real issue must be something dangerous inside preventing people from returning."
Ging, who clearly had more knowledge about this, knew how important this was and continued calmly, "Still, it wouldn't hurt to test it ourselves, just to be sure."
After a short pause, Ging disappeared into the nearby woods. The others could already guess what he was up to.
A few moments later, he returned with a struggling hare in his hands, very much alive. "Testing with dead things is pointless. It's better to use something living," he said, holding the animal up.
Without needing a word, Larry glanced at the Gardevoir beside him, who immediately cast Protection on the hare. They knew it wouldn't last a second inside the cave without that barrier.
A soft boom echoed as the shimmering protective aura enveloped the hare. Ging gave a small nod, then casually tossed the rabbit at the cave's entrance. The moment it touched the membrane, ripples spread out from the point of contact. Then it vanished inside.
All three watched intently.
Larry couldn't help but be reminded of the Kurta tribe's ruins they had just visited. The membrane on this cave looked very similar to the entrance of a secret realm, but there was a key difference. Secret realm entrances were usually invisible from the outside, while here, they could clearly see the deathly aura leaking through the film.
While Larry mulled this over, Ging and Pyon kept their eyes fixed on the hare. This one test was meant to answer two questions, Could Larry's barrier protect against the aura of death inside the cave? And could something still come back out after entering?
They didn't have to wait long. As soon as the hare crossed the membrane, the swarm of deadly thoughts that had been swirling like bloodthirsty wolves suddenly backed away, like frightened sheep. It was as if they instinctively feared the mysterious protection surrounding the rabbit.
In the blink of an eye, a clear "safe zone" formed around the hare, completely free of the death aura. Larry's barrier was a complete success.
With the protection intact, the rabbit remained unaffected by the death thoughts. But its instincts screamed that this place was dangerous. It needed to get out, fast.
And that reaction was spot on. If Gardevoir stopped maintaining the barrier for even a second, the hare would've died instantly.
Then, to their satisfaction, they saw the hare hop back through the membrane and race into the nearby forest without any trouble. "As expected from the strongest Exorcist ability," Ging said, clearly impressed. "That title really isn't an exaggeration."
He didn't spare the rabbit another glance, it had served its purpose.
What caught Ging's attention now was Larry's ability. He had heard about it before, but seeing it in action was something else entirely. The cave's aura of death was so intense that even a veteran ruin explorer like him felt its weight pressing down. And yet, Larry stood there, completely unaffected.
Larry was made for exploring ruins. This kind of ability, clearing out hostile aura, was priceless for people like them. While praising Larry's ability, Ging's eyes briefly shifted to Gengar, who stood silently beside Gardevoir. There was a thoughtful glint in his gaze.
Larry's Gardevoir had already proven it could block the death aura with its mysterious protection, but what about Gengar?
If what Pyon said earlier was true, then this one wasn't just support. Gengar was a nen beast capable of devouring the very essence of death aura. Could it really handle something this overwhelming?
With the successful rabbit test behind them, Pyon finally let out a breath of relief. "Alright, it's confirmed, living things can enter and exit. We can move forward without worries." Her fair face lit up with excitement.
For all the danger involved, she was still looking forward to exploring this unknown ruin. By all accounts, as a B-rank hunter, she shouldn't have been involved in an expedition this dangerous. But for her, fear wasn't an excuse.
If she hesitated here, she didn't deserve to call herself a hunter. Besides, she wasn't alone. She had Ging and Larry with her, two powerhouses who were arguably the peak of combat strength across the Six Continents.
With them on the team, what did she have to be afraid of?
More importantly, she wasn't expected to rush into battle anyway. Her job was support, and the three-person team they'd formed was surprisingly well-balanced. She handled reconnaissance and intel gathering, bridging the information gap.
Ging was the frontliner, ready to charge ahead and take the lead in any dangerous situation. And Larry? He was a complete wild card, a support unit, healer, transporter, fighter, and walking countermeasure against all forms of hostile aura. With both Gardevoir and Gengar at his side, Larry alone was practically equal to an elite team of skilled Nen users.
Without another word, Ging stepped forward and entered the cave first. Larry followed, with Pyon right behind him. As they passed through the membrane, ripples shimmered around them, and the three were transported inside.
Just like with the hare earlier, the moment they entered, a silent bubble of safety formed around them. The death aura inside the cave recoiled at the sight of Larry's mysterious protection, shrinking away like shadows fleeing the sun.