Around 4 AM, a 4-member Hunter Party was hunting in an ocean dungeon in the South Sea.
The Hunter’s hunting area wasn’t limited to just land and gates. There were even dungeons that required entering the sky through means like airplanes. In more extreme cases, there were mutated dungeons where the direction of gravity was reversed and the ceiling and walls became geometrically mirrored.
In that sense, it wasn’t that unnatural for hunters to be hunting in the sea.
“Ughhhh, damn…”
These average B-grade hunters were a mid-tier party who had received a request from the Hunter Association. Uniquely, their main goal wasn’t to completely conquer the dungeon or gather monster by-products, but to investigate the underwater environment where the dungeon had developed.
Of course, there were several other purposes, but anything too bold to do during the day was likely to attract unwanted attention.
“Make sure to put enough air bags in! Do you know how panicked I’d be if the oxygen suddenly disappeared on the way up?”
“What?! Hey! Do you think my mana pool is infinite?! I’ve already used six potions to fill it up!”
“Pfft, we’re going out for crab later; you’ll be stuffed with potions by then, right?”
“Don’t joke. The potions will digest themselves. The king crabs are doomed today.”
“What about the monsters?”
“A few F-grade ones? I saw a D-grade or two, but they ran away as soon as they sensed my mana.”
“Okay, with that aside… how many did you get?”
At that word, the hunter responsible for diving pulled something out from a waterproof drone.
It was delicate glasswork mixed with blue and white, resembling a flower, but upon closer inspection, the mana crystals scattered like munchie dust.
“Whoa… How much is this?”
“This one alone is worth at least 3 billion.”
“Are you crazy?! Just for this little thing?!”
“What’s with the surprise? There were even more down below. Your air bubble almost popped when it went too deep, so I couldn’t see, but it looked like a colony of them down there.”
[Deep Sea Flower]
A mana cubic crystal that could only be harvested in the sea, known only to those who understood.
Its primary use was as a strategic resource applicable to all modern technologies that require ‘power’.
After the Great Rift, countless dungeons and gates appeared all over Earth, and naturally, gates also opened in the deep seas where humanity hadn’t reached.
Of course, in some cases where gates opened deep underwater, they couldn’t withstand the immense pressure and crashing seawater, leading to their collapse. However, some gates perfectly melded with the aquatic environment.
Particularly, if a gate was opened in the sea where underwater races and monsters lived, it created a dungeon that was practically impenetrable.
With gates connecting directly to Earth’s oceans opening, the monsters inside the dungeons flowed into Earth’s seas, adapting just like native creatures and becoming part of the food chain. If a gate opened with underwater monsters, those gates had to be left unattended.
Awakened ones like Yeonseo, who faced fewer spatial constraints, were rare. There were equipment among hunters that allowed for underwater activity, but they weren’t perfect and didn’t grant infinite time.
However, thanks to that, Earth’s oceans underwent various upheavals, leading to the emergence of the [Deep Sea Flower].
“This is a flower-shaped crystal formed when the corpses of sea creatures mixed with high concentrations of mana leaking from the gate, right?”
“Looks just like a real flower.”
“I can’t believe one of these could power a power plant for a whole year…”
“Be careful; if mishandled, it could explode.”
“What?! You didn’t mention that before!”
“Just a joke. As a high-density mana cubic crystal, it should be fine normally. If it comes into contact with fire or high voltage, it might really blow up…”
“Ugh, damn.”
[Deep Sea Flower] was, as the name suggested, a high-density mana cubic crystal that resembled a flower.
It was formed from the corpses of sea creatures crushed by the deep sea’s pressure, combined with bacteria, and its principle was similar to that of pearls. However, because it contained vast amounts of mana, it was considered one of the rarest and most efficient power sources globally.
When well processed, it could be used in hunter equipment or potions. Even just one or two could run a power plant continuously for a year, making it a strategic resource during the early Great Rift.
Of course, its value had not decreased even now.
In fact, it might have increased over time. As time went on, technology through awakened ones and returnees advanced rapidly, and the uses of the Deep Sea Flower became more precise and diversified. For hunters, the Deep Sea Flower was a resource with value incomparable to diamonds of the same weight.
With the immense power of the Deep Sea Flower, inserting it into hunter equipment or power devices could provide a power boost strong enough for B-grade hunters to contend with A-grade monsters.
“But it’s strange. I heard this is usually found in the deep sea of the Pacific, over 2000 meters down…”
“Was it?”
The formation conditions for the Deep Sea Flower primarily involved high water pressure.
In the case of the West Sea, the average depth was only 46 meters, and the South Sea a mere 101 meters. The East Sea, however, exceeded an average depth of 1500 meters, meeting conditions for the formation of the Deep Sea Flower — yet they were in South Sea now.
“Finding the Deep Sea Flower in such a shallow area seems like an abnormal situation…”
“It certainly should be considered an anomaly. The Association didn’t issue the quest for no reason. Leader, what did the Association request?”
“That’s beyond our concern, so keep that to yourself. They probably wanted to secure strategic resources. Anyway, our investigation is complete, and we’ve confirmed the presence of the Deep Sea Flower cluster; we’ve roughly achieved our purpose, so now we can return…”
Thud!
But before the man could finish, a dull noise echoed in the water.
It sounded like a meat bag being skewered, causing the heads of the hunters engaged in maintenance to turn sharply.
However, as it happened so suddenly and in the darkness, the hunters just tilted their heads in confusion without feeling any sense of danger.
“Leader?”
“Where did he go?”
“Don’t tell me he fell into the water?”
“Must’ve slipped.”
“Hey, Leader! Are you alive?”
Initially laughing and joking, the party members began to feel uneasy as they stared at the dark sea.
The night sea, where their leader had disappeared, remained eerily calm as if nothing had happened, and combined with the darkness of the night, even the sound of the waves sounded ominous.
Eventually realizing the gravity of the situation, the hunters hurriedly prepared to dive.
“Quick, make air bags! Everyone dive in!”
“Working on it!”
“Damn it, what is going on?”
“I thought we were done…!”
The hunter who made the air bags quickly finished preparing for diving, and three hunters, armed with underwater spears, jumped into the water to rescue their leader.
However, the moment they dove into the sea, they realized something was wrong.
‘…!’
‘Crazy, crazy, crazy…!’
‘What the hell is that!?’
Nothing was visible on the dark surface of the night sea, but beneath the surface, they encountered something unexpected.
Zzap!
Plop!
Squelch!
Zzap!
Just moments after finishing their exploration, numerous figures flickered like ghosts under the water, and these figures were tearing apart what was presumed to be their leader’s limbs with their bare hands.
If there were only a couple of them, they would’ve rushed in to rescue their leader.
Though their power decreased underwater, as B-grade hunters, they had enough strength to rescue him.
But if those unknown shadows were swarming throughout the waters?
If there were hundreds, no, thousands of them, filling the visibility range beneath the surface, then there was no way to even estimate the odds for a fight.
And as the gleaming eyes from the dark water turned towards them, the hunters, paralyzed by fear, abandoned any thoughts of rescuing their leader.
[…!]
[Run!]
[Unfightable. Unfightable! Everyone up!]
The hunters screamed silently in their minds as they scrambled up onto the boat.
Quickly climbing aboard, the hunters activated the anti-monster barrier installed on their vessel, securing their safety, and began checking whether any party members besides their leader were missing.
“Huff, huff… what the hell were those…?”
“Were they the fishmen of Innsmouth?”
“I don’t know, damn it. Let’s just run!”
“What about the leader…”
“The leader is already dead! Let’s inform the Hunter Association right now!!”
—
Wow, the sea!
Wow, it’s the beach!
Wow, Sun of the Beach!
With the weather heating up, it was a good idea to embark on a trip to the ocean.
Moreover, they had booked a hotel until the Hunter Train departed, so for Shia, it was odd to not be excited about her first summer vacation since returning.
Of course, there were considerable mishaps along the way to depart.
Making travel plans was exciting but also quite a large undertaking.
While there weren’t much restrictions financially, the travel course and attractions in Busan in 2088 had changed drastically from what Shia remembered.
Some beaches had turned into acidic shores due to the Great Rift, inaccessible due to that transition. The geography of Busan was also said to have changed significantly because of the numerous battles during the Great Rift era.
“Huh, a swimsuit?”
Yane, being a subordinate of Shia, couldn’t voice opposition to her words, but Yoonjeong seemed a bit lethargic as if she had undergone a significant shocking event, so Shia did her best to persuade her, and in the end, she agreed to go to Busan together, but surprisingly, it was Menelapie who opposed the most.
Menelapie’s reason for opposition was none other than the existence of swimsuits.
“Um, huh…”
“Shia. Do you want me to wear such minimal clothing and flaunt myself on the street like a dancer?”
With a rare sermon mode activated, Menelapie caused Shia to take a step back.
Despite looking like this, Menelapie had directly taught and ingrained the palace etiquette into Shia’s body.
Even though now Menelapie held an open mind towards Shia, she surprisingly had conservative tendencies in strange areas.
Naturally, as an emperor, it was to be expected.
Although she aimed for no panties, no bra, it was not because Menelapie was lewd or openly minded, but because as a powerful aura user, her undergarments often tore apart—it was unavoidable.
While it was possible to weave metal threads into a single piece of underwear, doing so would sacrifice comfort and mobility, thus causing her not to wear any.
Actually, due to similar reasons, most awakened ones and hunters on Earth didn’t wear underwear due to the durability issues and instead wore protective gear or full-body suits meant for hunters.
“But, Menelapie, swimsuits aren’t like those dancer costumes! And you need to wear that to play on the beach….”
“What are you saying? Shia, no matter how I’m no longer an emperor, I must maintain basic dignity and decorum as an emperor and hero. I can’t accept wearing such vulgar attire.”
“That’s true…”
In fact, Menelapie had always set an example, dressed in the proper attire of a dignified emperor in that world.
To someone like Menelapie, swimsuits must have appeared as exceedingly lewd and vulgar clothes.
Of course, if Teresa were here, she would have likely criticized Menelapie, saying, “What does it matter if a perverted pantyless emperor gets worked up over swimsuits?”
‘Now that I think about it, I haven’t really been to the beach with Menelapie in the previous world…’
The closest they had come was accompanying each other to broker an agreement with some southern nation, and even then Menelapie wore imperial robes instead of a swimsuit.
The places Menelapie and Shia usually visited were more like deserts or snowy countries, or hot spring resorts near the empire, and since Menelapie’s daily duties were quite extensive, she often avoided areas where people crowded like southern beaches.
It’s worth noting that Shia had never really enjoyed wearing swimsuits before.
After all, having transitioned from a male body to a female one, even the thought of going to a beach was deeply shameful and intimidating.
However, during a forced trip to the beach by Teresa 40 years ago, this sense of shame gradually faded over 5 years, and by now, having lived as the Awakened One Isia for a much longer time, it wasn’t something she felt embarrassed about anymore.
Perhaps it was Teresa’s influence, constantly gaslighting Shia that wearing a swimsuit was natural, normal, and incredibly fitting for her.
“Anyway, I just can’t do it. I agree to join you, but I simply cannot wear that vulgar and lewd swimsuit.”
“But….”
“I also know very well what swimsuits are. I looked it up online, and swimsuits are quite lewd and unseemly…”
“I’m going to wear one too.”
“Thinking back, swimsuits do seem to be quite practical, active, and dignified attires. Shia, I’d like the chance to wear such attire and stroll on the beach with you.”
“What? But you just said not to wear it…?”
“Put it on.”
“Excuse me?”
“Put it on.”
“……….”
In the end, Menelapie’s persuasion was surprisingly successful.
Anyway, the one who maintained her dignity as an emperor and opposed it changed her mind easily upon hearing Shia’s insistence.
Shia and her companions chose to go to a beach called Gamji, rather than the well-known beaches of Gwangalli or Haeundae in Busan.
Shia had become quite a celebrity in Korea thanks to her role as the gallery master of a hunter genre gallery and her resolution of the Mapo District Erosion Dungeon incident; therefore, she would likely avoid overly crowded places like Gwangalli or Haeundae.
So, the beach Shia selected was quieter and more secluded—Gamji Beach.
Gamji Beach was a pebble beach, and nearby was a hotel designated by the Hunter Association.
“This place looks the same as before. Do you remember when we all came here with Dad?”
“Yeah…”
Holding Yoonjeong’s hand, Shia rubbed it, feeling Yoonjeong’s warm touch.
The body of the Awakened One Isia ran colder than that of an ordinary human, so Yoonjeong’s warmth felt quite comforting.
Perhaps memories started flooding back, as Yoonjeong also wore a pleased expression.
“Shia…”
“Yes?”
“I tried not to say anything, but… actually, Yane killed someone recently…”
“I know.”
“…….”
Understanding what Yoonjeong intended to say, Shia smiled gently, as if to comfort her.
Seeing Shia’s face, Yoonjeong stared intensely and soon exhaled a sigh, looking somewhat resigned.
“Don’t worry, Mom. Yane and I will protect you. Please don’t think of it as a burden. Just being by our side is enough for us.”
“Is that so…”
And after a while, upon arriving at the beach, Shia changed into her swimsuit and started fiddling with the drone.
The viewers would surely see that the next broadcast was set for Busan, and she planned to confidently showcase her body without any noticeable belly fat.
Feeling embarrassed?
Shia had lived her life as a saint without a single shred of shame regarding her body.
Not just mentally, but physically as well.
How could one claim to be a saint while being ashamed of their own body?
Moreover, with the streamer planning to wear a swimsuit, it was quite frustrating that the viewers only cared about Yane and Menelapie.
“Hmm, is it coming out well?”
After fiddling with the waterproof settings a few times, Shia tossed the drone into the ocean.
Fortunately, this drone, designed to assist hunters in various extreme environments, could handle being submerged without difficulty.
It began moving flawlessly underwater, and since the camera was indeed waterproof, capturing Shia’s face was done smoothly.
“Alright. It’s working well. Now, broadcasting on.”
As soon as the drone recognized Shia’s voice and started streaming, numerous viewers, having heard the Hunter Isia broadcast alert, began flooding in.
-Open the door! Open the door! Open the door! Open the door! Open the door! Open the door!
-Where is this place? Where is this place? Where is this place? Where is this place?
-Rumble rumble…
-Hello hello hello
-This is some strange sky…
Shia’s heart raced with anticipation as she considered when to unveil her face, which hadn’t been on screen yet.
Despite appearances, Shia was an attention seeker.
She disliked being lonely, appreciated the spotlight and people’s gazes, and this wasn’t a recent tendency but one that traced back to when she was praised as the great saint of the Rose Order in the previous world.
-Yane, where are you?
-Yane!
-Yane’s swimsuit!
-Where’s the hero?
-Show us the hero!
-What, in some beach or ocean?
-Don’t just tease; show us!
[‘Seaweed Pie’ donated 100,000 won!]
Is that not enough????
[‘Manager’s Bald Beam’ donated 10,000 won!]
Show Yane! Yane!
“These idiots…”
Looking at the hologram chat, seeing many wanting to see Yane and Menelapie rather than herself made Shia unconsciously furrow her brows.
Well, Shia decided to understand that since she had already announced her next broadcast in Busan; thus, many viewers were undoubtedly expecting the gallery master’s swimsuit.
However, there was one thing Shia totally overlooked…
Last time Yane had used Shia’s drone for a broadcast, the drone had recognized not just Shia but also Yane as an owner.
“Jiiiing~”
As Shia failed to issue any commands to the drone for over 30 seconds while trying to time her broadcast, it autonomously flew toward Yane, who was fidgeting with her tentacles, rather than Shia.
“Wait, where did the drone go!?”
And Shia glared daggers at the drone, now heading toward Yane.
This damn machine! Doesn’t it recognize its owner anymore?!
Of course, it was Shia’s fault for not setting up the ownership properly, but the deceased saint who fell into 2088 had no way to know such things.
—
“Kyeeeh~”
“Hey, Yane, what’s wrong? Is the water scary?”
Kyeek! The water’s cold, Yoonjeong’s thigh is warm!
– Wow!
– Hey! Yane!
– Yane!
– Yane!
– Wow, insane.
– A rare sight where charm and cuteness coexist…
– Look at her pockets!
– Yane’s pocket is about to burst!
– Wait, is that swimsuit torn???
– LOL it is, the swimsuit string got broken!
– Crazy LOL!
– Found that out, huh, you perverts.
– But did you like it?
The viewers initially cheered for Yane,
– But who’s that person?
– Woah…
– Pretty.
– Who is she?
– Oh… possible.
– Compared to the gallery master, she’s small… wait, is that actually small?
– Crazy, LOL! Is that even small?
– Isn’t that the mom of the gallery master from the unicorn dungeon?
– Oh, comparing with the SD character filter, it looks right.
– Yeah, that’s her, the mom who got mad when people insulted the gallery master last time.
– Loyalty ^^7
– Mother, loyalty ^^7
And in the second wave, they began to cheer for Yoonjeong’s true appearance, which hadn’t been covered by any filters.
Of course, the viewers had entirely forgotten about Shia’s existence.
