Abyssal Hunters, man-made war machines.
Ever since their first contact with the Seaborn, the Aegir people had been divided. Some chose to leave Aegir and relocate across Terra, while others remained in Aegir, choosing to fight the Seaborn.
The Aegir's bodies were not strong; in fact, most people's physical fitness was considerably lower than the average for land dwellers.
Therefore, to combat the Seaborn, the Aegir chose to use the Seaborn's power.
After countless difficult experiments, Aegir people, flowing with Seaborn Blood and having stolen the power of the Seaborn, were finally created.
The Abyssal Hunters' physical functions far surpassed those of the Aegir, and each had their own strengths.
Some could rely on brute force to cleave high-density alloys, some could easily break the sound barrier by running, some could maintain rapid regeneration even after suffering fatal injuries, and some possessed extraordinary thinking and tactical planning abilities... Of course, a lack of Originium Arts adaptability was an issue, but the Aegir did not use this dangerous power as crudely as land dwellers, so it was not a concern.
In short, they were the sharpest blades against the Seaborn.
Abyssal Hunters could break free from the entanglement of Seaborn limbs, deflect bone spurs shot by the Seaborn, and even be immune to most toxins injected by the Seaborn. Furthermore, when the Seaborn fought Abyssal Hunters, their will to fight would be significantly weakened.
Because they were Seaborn, and even more so, war weapons against the Seaborn, everything about the Abyssal Hunters existed to combat the Seaborn.
This fact was known only to Aegir officials like Gladiia, long-lived individuals like Kal'tsit, and outsiders like Goki.
An Abyssal Hunter's hand chop was a mighty punch, an Abyssal Hunter's flying kick was a destructive force, an Abyssal Hunter's eyes could see through everything, and an Abyssal Hunter's cleave could break rocks—
However, even such Abyssal Hunters, when faced with sudden environmental changes, when their skin was far from the moisture of the sea, when their nasal passages could no longer smell the salty scent of the ocean, and when their eyes could no longer see the boundless surface of the water... suffered from acclimatization issues.
"Ugh—my stomach, it hurts."
Sitting on Kal'tsit's simply furnished single bed, Skadi still wore the dress Goki had given her, her face pale as she clutched her stomach.
Of course, Skadi also had a few of Kal'tsit's clothes; although a bit tight in the chest, they were barely wearable, but today she just happened to change back into this one.
Her small hands tightly clutched the red dress, and although Skadi's expression remained as calm as ever, she couldn't help but purse her lips.
Evidently, she was enduring great physical discomfort.
Skadi's body was indeed incredibly powerful; just by gently flopping onto the bed, she could destabilize the heavy RV, and even without weapons, she could tear open Seaborn armor with her bare hands.
But clearly, in the deep sea, the Seaborn did not use viruses and bacteria as attack capabilities, and the Abyssal Hunters' immune System was still at the Aegir's Rank.
And in the deep ocean, the Aegir, who had lived in sterilized environments for generations and barely needed to consider hygiene issues, had no resistance to the diseases that land dwellers contended with—bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Skadi had diarrhea; she had not only become a deep-sea warrior but also a deep-sea 'jet' warrior.
Bravely rejecting Gladiia's orders, she secured her vacation, left the coast, and came inland.
In the past few days, Skadi had been exceptionally excited, as if she had endless energy and curiosity.
At that time, no matter what she saw, she pestered Goki with questions. Goki, being an outsider, couldn't recognize Terra's gadgets, so he could only flip through Kal'tsit's collection of encyclopedias to find answers together.
However, a few days later, perhaps due to bacterial attack, perhaps due to temperature changes, or perhaps psychological issues, under the influence of various factors—the invincible Titi collapsed.
She could control her body's muscles, leaping several meters high, but she couldn't control her immune System to kill the germs in her body.
"Ugh..."
Thinking about how weak she had appeared in front of Goki, Skadi's cheeks couldn't help but flush slightly—this was her third trip to the bathroom today.
"Come, come, the medicine is brewed, and there are tablets. Administer according to body weight... Never mind, maximum dosage. Just swallow them directly—thankfully we're with a doctor, otherwise I really wouldn't know what to do."
Beside them, on Kal'tsit's neatly arranged utility table, Goki rummaged through rows of medicine boxes, found the anti-diarrhea medicine Kal'tsit had told him about, and brought it over after dissolving it in warm water.
As a doctor, Kal'tsit's house had the most stock of various medicines labeled in different languages. Even if Goki could read the text, he couldn't distinguish the functions of the various drugs.
And on Goki, although he could exchange antidotes and tranquilizers from the Hunter's Dream, he couldn't even find a packet of cold medicine.
No wonder, after all, the Yharnam people were all in good shape—ever since they contracted the Beastly Scourge and went insane, everyone had become full of spirit!
"Lie down after drinking the medicine. The hot pack is also charged. Just rest well, and you'll be fine in a couple of days—I used to be like this; when I arrived in a new place, I'd adapt in a few days and be fine."
To be honest, Goki hadn't expected that the Little Orca, who could kick Seaborn like a ball, would get sick after coming to land and become so uncomfortable.
It was a good thing they had been following the river earlier, otherwise there wouldn't have been enough water in the water tank.
Of course, despite her discomfort, the current Skadi could still smash a Seaborn's head with a single slap.
"Oh, gulp, gulp, gulp... So bitter."
Nodding weakly, Skadi, with Goki holding the bowl, drank a few sips of the pale yellow medicine, her entire small face contorting into a knot because of the bitter taste.
From childhood until now, Skadi had suffered countless injuries and endured various kinds of pain just during hunts.
However, she had never drunk anything so bitter—the land was truly cruel! Truly terrifying!
"There, there, good girl, you'll get better after one course of treatment. This pill is also very bitter, I'll teach you: pinch your nose, place it behind your tongue, and swallow it directly with water—"
And facing such a delicate Titi, Goki also felt particularly novel, and at the same time, he taught the Little Orca with even more patience, helping her learn the ways of land dwellers little by little.
While stroking Skadi's small head, Goki treated her like a little baby when it came to common knowledge about living on land.
"This is just a common minor illness, don't worry, Terra's medical technology is still very advanced."
This was true; after reviewing Kal'tsit's medical books, Goki found that Terra's medical technology was indeed unique.
As long as money was in place, almost any illness could be cured; cancer and leukemia were no problem, AIDS had never appeared, except for one disease—oripathy.
All medical research on Terra basically revolved around oripathy and its complications, but to this day, no corresponding therapy has been found. As for other diseases, they could all be considered minor ailments.
And Skadi and Goki, two people immune to oripathy in different senses, once exposed, would undoubtedly attract much envy and attention.
However, when Skadi first reported to him, clutching her stomach pitifully, Goki initially thought her period had come and almost asked Kal'tsit for related sanitary products.
But later, Kal'tsit, with a look of disdain, explained to Goki that the Abyssal Hunters' physical functions were already extremely powerful, and like the Draco, Dragon, Vouivre / Wyvern, and Sarkaz, although they went through this process, it would self-heal the moment it occurred.
Goki was truly enlightened—indeed, the real world of Terra was much more complex than the game!
Under Goki's gentle touch and encouragement, Skadi frowned and finally swallowed the medicine, even showing him the bottom of the bowl as if asking for praise.
"That's great, that's great."
Goki smiled brightly and continued to pat her small head.
"Ugh... don't look."
Noticing Goki's gaze, Skadi realized her impropriety and couldn't help but lower her head.
"I thought I was strong enough... I didn't expect to still be taken care of by you."
The reason Skadi had the courage to leave with Goki was because she felt she had enough strength not to be a burden to him.
But unexpectedly, just a few days after leaving the coast, Skadi didn't encounter any powerful enemies; instead, she succumbed to illness.
"Ha, what's this even considered?"
Putting away the medicine bowl and placing the hot pack on Skadi's stomach, Goki supported the shoulders of this big Orca baby, comforting her while gently guiding her to lie flat on the bed.
"Every dog has its day, and every man has his hour. If you, Skadi, were perfect in every way, I'd feel useless. Just rest easy."
Looking at Skadi's somewhat weak appearance now, and remembering how in the original story, Titi walked onto the shore alone, self-exiled, enduring a series of obstacles like acclimatization and language barriers all by herself, Goki felt particularly heartbroken.
This time, with him here, Goki was determined to make Skadi's adventure a luxurious experience fit for a princess!
"It seems I not only need to understand the general situation of Terra, but also ask Kal'tsit about the scenic spots, cultural customs, and signature dishes of various countries."
After all, compared to the destination and focus of the journey, Goki cared more about the scenery along the way.
"Rest well. I'll wake you if anything happens—the automatic toilet is still very useful, isn't it?"
Even if he was destined to face the monstrous beings he had glimpsed, Goki was determined to enjoy himself, eating hotpot and singing songs, completing this hunt happily.
"Don't mention that... Mm."
The once incredibly powerful Abyssal Hunter now clutched the blanket, nodding obediently.
And watching Goki prepare to leave, Skadi hesitated for a moment, then propped up her somewhat weak body, reached out, and tugged at Goki's sleeve.
"Hm, anything else?"
Goki turned around, only to see Skadi gently pat the adjacent bed, looking at him with innocent and clear eyes, seemingly with some expectation.
"Let's sleep together tonight, Goki. You've been working hard these past few days too, it's not good to keep pushing yourself."
Skadi skillfully shuffled inwards twice, making room for Goki on the narrow bed. She simply thought Goki was also tired, so they would sleep together, no problem at all.
"...No problem!"
This time, Goki didn't even go through any internal struggle; he just nodded directly at Skadi, immediately pulled back the covers, and lay down on his side on the bed.
In fact, he had already rested with Skadi quite a bit these past few days.
Of course, saying 'rest' might not be entirely accurate; to be more precise, it was... "Mm, rest well, see you later."
Saying that, Skadi quickly closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep in just a few seconds—this was an Abyssal Hunter's specialty; fast, efficient deep sleep was conducive to rapid mental recovery.
And then... Bang! Crack—Crack—
With a loud bang, a snow-white long leg and a slender, jade-like arm slammed onto Goki's body, making him instantly shudder.
His bones cracked.
The next second, Skadi gently embraced Goki's body, beginning to tighten her grip.
Crack—Crack—
To be precise, Goki had habitually been used as a body pillow by Skadi these past few days.
"Sigh... Good night."
Goki sighed helplessly, also closing his eyes—he'd just get a shot when he woke up.
Traveling with Skadi, both in pain and happiness, was Goki's choice.
Then, not long after, the Originium car suddenly stopped.
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