Iberia, Saltwind City coast.
The setting sun cast its rays, marking the arrival of evening twilight.
Clear, azure waves crashed onto the beach in succession, washing several seashells and small fish ashore.
"One, two, three."
A little girl in a black dress walked along the beach, holding a small iron bucket. She constantly bent down to pick up seashells and put them into her basket, while tossing the underdeveloped small fish back into the sea.
"I wonder how my older brother and sisters are doing, sigh."
More than a week had passed since the church explosion, the Abyssal Hunter and the Skadi the Singer's departure, and Anita receiving that small music box.
The coast near Saltwind City had regained its vitality. With the destroyed church as the epicenter, all the black matter in the ocean receded, no longer daring to approach the area.
The Inquisitors investigated here for several days. Only after confirming the disappearance of danger in the surroundings did they feel at ease allowing residents to gather food along the coast.
After instructing them not to overfish, not to catch pregnant fish or small fish, to ensure sustainable development, and to make as much dried and smoked fish as possible for storage, the Inquisitors departed Saltwind City.
Of course, they would return very soon, bringing Iberia's top researchers.
If what happened in Saltwind City could be replicated, then the decline in the south might be reversed!
The Golden Age had faded; the nobles might still be doing nothing, but the Inquisitors still had to be responsible for the entire nation.
However, these matters were irrelevant to Anita. She only wanted to gather more seafood to bring home for dinner.
Once their stomachs were no longer hungry, everyone became less impulsive, irritable, or wary of each other. Not only did their faces become much kinder, but they were also more willing to come out of their homes.
Two days ago, thanks to Anita's music box, everyone even had a rare dance party. Everyone regretted not hearing Nona Skadi the Singer perform in person.
"I really should thank Big Brother Hunter properly; these things must have been done by him."
Although everyone was thanking the gods, believing that the only God worshipped in Iberia had bestowed blessings and rewards upon them after the trial of suffering.
But Anita felt that this matter might have been done by Big Brother Hunter—there was no evidence, but she instinctively felt so.
"Sigh, I don't know when I'll see my older brother and sisters again. I really want to grow up quickly—wah wah wah!"
And just then, Anita, who was focused on picking up seashells, suddenly saw several pale-white… people lying on the beach?!
"D-d-dead?"
On the beach, Anita saw four naked people, covered in sand and seawater, who, judging by their curved chests, appeared to be four girls.
Their hair was dark blue-black, and their bodies seemed exceptionally pale—just like dead people. Anita had often seen dead people in the past.
"Ha—"
And in the next second, the four "corpses'" unclad chests suddenly swelled with a gasp, as if they were inflated balloons, or like children taking their first breath after leaving the amniotic fluid.
"They're not dead… wow."
The next second, the four naked drowned people suddenly opened their eyes and stared at Anita simultaneously.
Their gaze was so sharp that it made the little girl take another step back in fright.
"Hello, little one."
And that gaze, as if observing prey, only lasted for a moment before disappearing.
Suddenly, the leading woman flipped over and sat up, revealing a somewhat stiff smile. She struggled to stand, swaying unsteadily, taking several attempts before finding her balance.
It was… just like learning to walk for the first time.
"Um, hello, big sister! Why are you swimming here, and without clothes? The water is cold now, you'll catch a chill."
Upon realizing they were alive, Anita relaxed and sweetly replied to them.
"Clothes? Let me think. Ah, yes, I should wear clothes."
The short-haired woman paused, looked at her body, which was gradually regaining color with each breath, nodded, and smiled at Anita.
"Then, Little Sister Anita, can you help us get four sets of clothes? In return, we can catch some big fish for you—have you ever eaten an octopus as big as a person?"
Upon hearing that, Anita's eyes immediately lit up.
"An octopus as big as a person? You better keep your word! I'll go back right away; our family has the most clothes! Wait for me!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Anita immediately picked up her small bucket and pattered off towards the mobile city nearby.
"How cute. Should I use that adjective—I was the first to stand up, so I'm the oldest."
With her hands on her slender waist, the first short-haired woman to stand up looked at the other girls still struggling to get up behind her, a somewhat dashing smile on her face.
"Or rather, in the original plan, I should have been the first to come ashore—breathing with lungs feels terrible."
"Suit yourself. We're too lazy to argue with you about this. You'll be responsible for negotiations from now on."
"Then I'm the youngest? Where are we going to play—Iberia is too dull."
"You're getting off easy. Don't just focus on playing; we have serious business to do."
Subsequently, the other three women also supported themselves and slowly stood up from the beach, curiously examining their bodies.
"That's right, let's reiterate our rules and goals on land. One, we cannot kill people or absorb nutrients from them. Two, we must transform ourselves into… become… ha, after becoming independent individuals, my memory isn't what it used to be either."
Speaking in somewhat unfluent Iberian, the leading woman said earnestly.
"Beautiful Maiden! I remember, we must become Beautiful Maidens!"
The youngest girl raised her hand and answered, skipping and hopping.
"Yes, Beautiful Maidens! This must be a very powerful existence. The meaning of seeking Beautiful Maidens, becoming Beautiful Maidens, our mission—besides that, we are free! After all, she's asleep!"
Breathing the dry air of the land and experiencing a different atmosphere from the ocean, the four women all enjoyed this new and wonderful world.
If Goki were to see them, he would cover his eyes with one hand while shouting through his fingers—what are you looking for? Aren't you already Beautiful Maidens?!
"That's right, we're free! We can go wherever we want. We're not like those stupid Seaborns! We're special, more Advanced!"
Raising her hands high and stretching her athletic body freely, the youngest girl shook her long hair.
"His blood contains a lot of knowledge. Some of it is terrifying, but some is usable, fragments of land civilization. This is Iberia, and outside are Sargon, Kjerag, Victoria…"
The calmest woman in the group stroked her cheek, beginning to analyze the current situation.
"We must leave Iberia. The Inquisition will suspect us, discover us, and kill us—we must adapt to this world, learn about this world, do what we want, and then find a way to become 'Beautiful Maidens.' Only then will we be qualified to find the key and approach that great existence."
"But we can't do anything, only eat fish—do you have any other specialties?"
The somewhat gloomy woman in the group yawned and said softly.
"Ah, right, we can also sing. Each of us can sing—hey, my mouth is split open. Was I like this before? Should I stitch it up."
"Yes, singing. It's very happy when we sing. Land people will definitely be happy to hear our songs too. The four of us can sing all the time!"
"That Abyssal Hunter called himself a Skadi the Singer. We can also be Skadi the Singers. Several Skadi the Singers walking together… it's called a band!"
"But we need to wear clothes first. That little girl went to find them for me. Although the dress is pretty, it would be better if it were a bit cooler."
"I want new hair colors, preferably pink! I remember humans can dye their hair, how interesting."
"A band needs a name—"
The women discussed animatedly, their previously awkward speech becoming more fluent—they were becoming more like humans.
Finally, the leading woman clapped her hands, bringing the discussion to a close.
"Alright, quiet. So our plan is set—learn land life, gain new identities by singing, become Beautiful Maidens, and then… follow His footsteps, enjoy this dry world, and find that key."
She turned her head and looked at the shimmering sea.
"Now, He has already gone to the Qin Jiao Land, surrounded by yellow sands and dense forests, to seek the Golden Great City and confront the fiery demon creatures and heretical gods beyond the Burning Wind Scorched Earth—we must also quicken our pace."
The moment she looked at the water, the calm sea began to churn with enormous waves, directly pulling a giant squid onto the shore.
"As for the band name—I think I already have an idea."
Looking at the setting sun about to dip into the sea, and the fish on the beach at her feet, dying from lack of water, the woman nodded.
"It will be called… Sunset Fleeting."
Thus, not only did four Hunters come ashore.
But also… four people who wanted to become Beautiful Maidens!
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