Once, Iberia quickly sealed itself off after The Great Silence.
Perhaps it was to prevent outsiders from prying, or perhaps to avoid more trouble, but that prosperous and open golden nation was no more.
Now, to leave Iberia, one only needs to pass a few simple inspection procedures, ensuring no prohibited items are taken out.
However, to enter Iberia, one must go through dozens of checks, continuous questioning by Inquisitors, possess a sufficiently deep background and connections, and... also need a little luck.
But with Iberia's current decline, how could it have enough manpower and resources to guard its long and vast border?
Should they arrange for Guardianss to patrol twenty-four hours a day? Or directly build a long border wall along the frontier?
With Calamities raging across Terra, such ideas are unrealistic. An occasionally mended barbed-wire fence and a patrol with a fixed schedule are all Iberia can manage.
Of course, the long wilderness, ferocious beasts, and unannounced Calamities are all problems travelers need to consider. Without the help of a Calamity Messenger, venturing alone into the wilderness is no different from seeking death.
Therefore, within Iberia, there are actually many illegal visitors, as well as some who wish to leave but need to take certain prohibited Iberian items with them.
And coincidentally, Kal'tsit fits the above two points, and Goki and Skadi also fit—they themselves are witnesses to Iberia's greatest secret.
And this small settlement, located nearly a hundred kilometers from the Iberian customs, perfectly hidden among weathered cliffs, is the largest unofficial hub and passage between the kingdoms of Iberia and Sargon.
To put it less formally... it's smuggling.
"Remember your identities, Goki, Skadi. From today on, you are ordinary wandering bounty hunters, heading to Sargon to find new work. As for the rest, you can make up whatever you want."
Walking with an elegant cat-like stride, draped in a black robe that just covered her shoulders, Kal'tsit walked on the sandy, dusty ground, instructing Goki and Skadi, who followed behind her.
"Goki, unless you can guarantee no one will leak it, it's best not to show your firearm... your gun in front of others. Iberian Inquisitors don't care about these things, but the Laterano Inquisition will see you as a thorn in their side. You'd best buy a hand crossbow, or an explosive crossbow; its firing doesn't even require Originium Arts—this is just a suggestion."
Following behind Kal'tsit, Goki also nodded. He was still wearing his Yharnam Hunter uniform: a black trench coat, black trousers, a black face mask, and a Yharnam Hunter tricorn hat. He leaned on a harmless retractable walking stick, maintaining a low profile.
This attire would not be out of place in any country.
"Yharnam Hunters do not pursue weapon lethality; crossbow bolts being unable to effectively stop enemies is a big problem. But thank you for your suggestion, I will try my best to keep my weapon hidden. It's a pity I can't learn Originium Arts."
Ever since establishing a deeper connection with the dream, Goki can now freely bring items in and out of the dream and reality. All previously damaged equipment has also been brought back to the dream and repaired, ready to be taken out whenever needed.
Moreover, after obtaining the Sword Hunter Badge, many more items can be exchanged... "Also, thank you for Skadi's clothes; they are very pretty and cute."
Then, Goki looked at Skadi beside him.
She had changed into a new outfit: gray top, black trousers, a long cloak, and under a tricorn hat similar to Goki's, her silver-white hair, long enough to reach the ground, was tied at the ends, barely avoiding dragging on the ground.
As a bounty hunter, she didn't need a weapon case as a disguise. She carried her huge mechanical sword directly on her back, making her look formidable.
Of course, most importantly, through the two triangular openings on her black trousers, her fair thighs were exposed.
"Why is it still so revealing... It's so cold."
In the extremely cold night with vast temperature differences between day and night, Skadi was already feeling a bit cold in her stomach, and now she missed the automatic toilet in the car even more.
As soon as she finished speaking, a black jacket was draped over Skadi's shoulders. She turned her head and saw Goki smiling at her.
"Bear with it for now. When I have time, I'll sew you a new outfit."
This outfit was a simple modification and combination of Skadi's original Abyssal Hunter uniform and the bounty hunter uniform given by Kal'tsit, put together by Goki.
Although it was different from Little Orca's basic skin in his memory, it wasn't too far off—it had that vibe!
When we go to Siesta, I'll get Titi a beautiful swimsuit!
Of course, Goki's current priority was to get Skadi out of the Iberian border; after that, they would be free to roam.
"A little thicker would be better... but I like it very much, thank you, Goki."
The two smiled at each other. Their constant companionship on the journey had rapidly warmed their relationship.
Of course, Skadi, a maiden who knew nothing but hunting, naturally still considered Goki her good friend. As for anything more intimate... she had never thought about it.
As for Goki, he was in no hurry at all; slowly was fine.
Watching the two, whose relationship was very good, Kal'tsit couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"Oh, I also need to remind both of you—although you have powerful regenerative abilities, try your best not to bleed on land."
Ahead, a small camp made up of a bonfire and a few old cars was within reach. Kal'tsit gave them one last instruction.
"Goki, your blood contains a high concentration of liquid Ore. They suppress the activity of your blood, but once your blood loses its activity, it will become a source of pollution capable of contaminating a hundred-meter radius. I imagine you wouldn't want to harm anyone."
"As for Skadi, beneath the continent of Terra, there are countless underground rivers connecting to the ocean. The Seaborn will pursue you, so you must always be prepared."
Kal'tsit never concealed a patient's condition. Regarding the situations caused by their physical characteristics, Kal'tsit also did not shy away, directly telling them about her research on their blood samples over the past few days.
"It's still the same thing: if you want to solve this problem, you can try to find me. I need extensive research and experiments, and I am also very interested in you two—especially you, Goki."
Looking at the tall male Yharnam Hunter, Kal'tsit's words carried a hidden meaning.
If she could figure out why Goki's blood could suppress the activity of Ore solution, it would not only help in treating oripathy but also aid her in understanding the essence of Ore.
She had been researching Ore for a very, very long time.
"Don't worry, we'll be careful. Even if the Seaborn come after us, we'll smash them to pieces again!"
Goki, of course, was well aware of this.
In Yharnam, the principle behind Bishop Laurence's development of blood ministration to treat the beastly scourge was essentially to utilize the hierarchical suppression among Great Ones. The blood of a higher-ranking Great One could inhibit the madness and mutation caused by the blood of a lower-ranking Great One, but it was ultimately a temporary solution, leading to another round of mutation.
And on Terra, when Ore enters the bloodstream, a person's body also undergoes mutation, even allowing them to master Originium Arts without prior learning. This phenomenon... seems somewhat similar to the beastly scourge?
And his own blood could suppress the activity of Ore. Goki felt that Ore, this substance, might also contain the echo of some higher existence's power.
Energy sources like oil and coal are the fossilized remains of plants and animals from billions of years ago, formed through geological changes—so could Ore be the remains of some even more powerful deity? Like Zro dust in Stellaris?
Goki did not know the answer.
But if there was an opportunity, he thought he might go to Columbia in the future and research his own situation with Kal'tsit.
"Yes, I'll take down every single one that comes!"
With her chest proudly puffed out under her gray top, Skadi was equally confident.
Now, with Goki by her side, Skadi felt no fear at all about being "marked" and enduring the endless pursuit of the Seaborn—if they dared to come, they would be utterly annihilated on land!
Now, for Skadi, this journey with Goki was truly a wonderful trip to understand this vast land.
"Heh, then suit yourselves. Ahead is the snakehead's camp. Someone will guide us out of Iberia. Once we reach Sargon, we'll go our separate ways."
Kal'tsit had nothing to linger on with these two rather peculiar guests. The long journey had long since numbed her. If she had to feel sad every time she parted ways, she would have stopped living long ago.
"By the way, the atmosphere in the camp is off. There are more people than I expected. Be wary of unexpected incidents—these people are not Inquisitors. You'd best adapt to the rules of mercenaries and bounty hunters as soon as possible."
Kal'tsit narrowed her eyes, looking at the camp, which had significantly more bonfires and figures than when she entered Iberia.
Just then, a somewhat short and stout figure walked out and laughed loudly at Kal'tsit in a rough, stiff, somewhat unfamiliar Iberian dialect.
"Hey—Ms. Kal'tsit, we've been waiting for you here for a long time! If you didn't come soon, we might have had to transport people out earlier!"
At this moment, Goki, who had just entered the camp entrance, suddenly raised an eyebrow.
"Do you feel it, Skadi?"
Similarly, Skadi also nodded, looking strangely in one direction of the small camp.
"Hmm... I thought it was an Abyssal Hunter, but it seems—it's not?"
For some reason, the two of them detected a familiar Aura in this Iberian border camp.
----------------------------------
I've already posted 30 new chapters on Patreon!
If you like the story and want to reaad more, please visit my patreon. Every support is very meaningful!
[patreon.com/Kazenova223]
Thank you very much!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"