I Became an Evolving Deep-Sea Creature-Chapter 32

Chapter 032. The Island of Boundaries
Normally, the island's soul could be found buried in its land, or sometimes discovered by digging into the ground.
However, the soul of this northern island had never revealed itself. It was probably because its soul was embedded somewhere beneath the sea.
Yul dove into the depths. The soul of the island was said to exist somewhere within it.
After searching around, he found the island’s soul lodged within a wall. It was at the very edge of the depth that Yul could safely dive.
It was a round, lustrous orb, roughly the size of an orca’s head.
When he channeled magic into it, the island’s soul began to intertwine with his own magic.
And then, Yul felt something—a ‘will’. Not a clear intent or consciousness capable of communication, but a faint stirring, like the first heartbeat within a massive egg. Something alive, yet without tangible form.
From the moment Yul’s magic became entwined with the island’s soul, he could see the island in its entirety.
When he closed his eyes, he no longer saw darkness, but a vivid landscape.
A waterfall cascading down, flocks of brilliantly colored birds flying between dense jungle trees, insects crawling across the ground, and the sound of waves echoing from the shore.
'So vivid… it’s as if I’m really there.”
When he surfaced, Arurion was looking down at him.
“How is it? The island’s soul?”
-It’s enormous. And I could feel something like a will. The moment I merged with it, I was able to see the island.
“That’s what we call holding ‘dominion’ over an island. Across the Archipelago Ocean, most lords rule by linking their hearts with the souls of their islands.”
-It feels strange. As if I could wield great influence over this island, yet at the same time… I feel bound by it.
“'We’re all bound to one another in some way. The ruler and the ruled alike.”
-……
“Now it’s your turn to name the island. We’ve only ever called it the Northern Island. You can give it a proper name.”
-Let’s call it 『The Island of Boundaries.』It stands at the very first border between the Great Azure Ocean and the Archipelago Ocean.
'Is that so? Then I’ll let the entire sea know the name of Yul, lord of the Island of Boundaries.”
-Are you sure you’re fine with giving it to me?
'Only land-dwellers care much for islands. To us sea elves, they’re merely temporary anchor points.”
-I’ll make good use of it.
Even as he said that, Yul couldn’t quite shake off a faint unease. He thought perhaps, when he gained something in the future, he might give part of it to Arurion in return.
Come to think of it, it feels like I owe him somehow. Maybe that’s what Auron intended.
It wasn’t a debt he truly needed to repay, yet for some reason, he felt as though he should.
Anyway, after receiving the island, Yul parted ways with Javarel.
-Thank you, Sir Yul. I think I’ll try settling on the Island of the Brown Sage.
-Alright. If things get tough, you can always come live here.
-Really?! Thank you so much!
He’s quick to look after himself, that one. Yul couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.
After sending Javarel off, Yul left his meeting with Arurion behind and returned to the Great Azure Ocean.
It’s about time I evolve again.
As a Patroller, he had consumed many different creatures, and as a result, his experience had greatly increased.
【Status Window】
【Evolution Status (Stage 2)】
[Experience Required for Next Stage]
[2,500 / 2,400]
[Stage 1 Evolution]
[Oxygen-Storing Pigment]
[Stage 2 Evolution]
[Horn of the Sea King]
【Creature Traits】
Marine Creature: A marine creature capable of diving from the surface layer to considerable depths.
Hunter: You are a natural-born predator.
Ultrasonic Organ: You can understand and utilize ultrasonic waves.
Temperature Resistance: Thick skin allows you to maintain a stable body temperature in varying water conditions.
【Contracts】
1. Contract with the Spirit - Rukit
[Mutual agreement contract. The two parties can communicate with each other anytime, anywhere. Perceived time acceleration applies during conversation.]
2. Contract with an Island’s Soul – 1 instance
[Each island within the Archipelago Ocean possesses a will of its own. By merging your magic with an island’s soul, you can claim it as your own.]
[Currently owned island: The Island of Boundaries]
【Inheritance】
Regeneration: At the cost of experience points, this ability rapidly restores damaged body tissue. Severed fins, tails, and internal organs can be regenerated.
【Authority】
[「Madness」: When a powerful enemy appears, this ability activates automatically. During its duration, strength increases dozens to hundreds of times, and the user becomes invulnerable, taking no damage at all.]
[Activation Condition: Automatically triggers when you encounter an enemy stronger than yourself, after evaluating their rank.]
[Cost of Use: Lifespan.]
【Awakening】
【Great Balance – Magic (Magna–Libra): The unique magic created by Arthur Beltaine and restored by Ian Beltaine. A magic that corrects the world's imbalance and harmonizes chaos and order. Currently incomplete.】
[Formula 1: Perception]
[Formula 2: Connection]
[Formula 3: Transmission of Thoughts]
[Formula 4: Devourment]
【Ascension】 – Ascension Stage 2
Current Karma: 2,418
【Your Current Lifespan】
[Remaining – 129 years, 228 days, 23 hours]
The new additions to the status window came from Yul learning the Devourment formula from Ian.
Also, a new contract had been added: the Contract with the Island’s Soul, The Island of Boundaries.
But what stood out the most was his dramatically increased lifespan.
'129 years, hehe.’
After devouring a good number of magic stones, he had reached this point. Considering that the lifespan of an orca normally ended at around eighty years, it was an astounding figure.
'Come to think of it, if I keep consuming magic stones like this, I might end up with an absurdly long life.’
Having more years to live was a good thing, but it also came with a price. Watching those close to him grow old and die of natural causes would be inevitable.
Even Ian, who was with him now, wouldn’t live longer than Yul. Perhaps not even his son, Lucian…
Yul shook his head, brushing away such distant worries, and decided to use the experience points he had earned.
Normally, saving experience until the next evolution was the smart move, but this one was worth acquiring in advance.
[Stage 3 Evolution]
[Metal Consumption: Enhances feeding ability to allow digestion of metal. Each time metal from the seafloor is swallowed, the jaw, teeth, and skeletal structure adapt to the properties of that metal. This process occurs gradually over an extended period.]
-Type: [Physical], [Internal Transformation], [Continuous Effect]
'Excellent.’
The ability to assimilate metal into one’s body was a power held by the turtles of the Turtle Kingdom—now, Yul possessed it too.
His bones would follow the traits of whatever metal he consumed, so he planned to test it out once he obtained some.
In the blink of an eye, Yul returned to his patrol area. The sea remained calm, undisturbed.
He scanned his surroundings to check for any issues.
'Nothing seems wrong.’
It had taken about three days to send Javarel off. It was unlikely anything had happened in that time.
'Now, let’s get to work.”
Yul turned his gaze toward the mining machine in the Krellsite mine. It had been modified for his use, with simple assembly and disassembly thanks to Javarel’s craftsmanship.
Clamping the machine’s handle between his jaws and rotating it, he hauled up a large quantity of Krelsite.
'Do I have anything to store this in?’
He looked around for the giant clams traditionally used by orcas for transport, but this region was barren—the ecosystem had been wiped out by Krelsite contamination.
With no other option, Yul decided it would be better to return to the village and purchase some clams there.
'I should head back to the village for a bit, meet with Lanchia, and buy some clams while I’m there.’
The clams sold in the village came neatly bound with tough seaweed ropes, making them easy to carry and transport.
That was one of the perks of being a Patroller—complete autonomy.
From Yul’s point of view, it might look like he was slacking off, but since he didn’t get paid in the first place, it wasn’t exactly wage theft.
You could call it a black company, sure, but it wasn’t even a company to begin with.
The other orca Patrollers worked out of a sense of honor and duty, but Yul intended to quit once he felt he’d done enough.
Either way, since Patrollers were expected to be self-sufficient, leaving one’s assigned patrol area for a short time wasn’t much of an issue.
Given how loose the regulations were, taking a short trip back to the village wasn’t such a bad idea.
Retracing the path he had come was quick. As his proficiency with the Horn of the Sea King increased, his speed was now comparable to that of an advanced sailing ship.
And when he caught the right ocean current, Yul could move even faster—faster than any vessel on the sea.
* * *
A week later.
After giving a brief to the Matriarch, Lanchia, Yul strolled through the village.
He hoped he might run into Nugh or Tuania, but the Warrior Corps was a busy organization. They constantly had missions across the seas and were rarely idle.
So instead, Yul spent some time visiting various general stores, bartering with the small collection of items he’d gathered here and there.
There were only a few orca merchants in the village. They were the ones who handled most of the trading and exchanges among their kind.
-Oh, energy coral, huh? That’s a good find. I can give you, let’s say, four clamshell containers for that. How’s that sound?
-Sounds good.
-I’ve already braided some strong seaweed cords around them, so they’ll be easy to carry.
Energy coral was prized not just by humans but by orcas as well, so whenever Yul found some, he made sure to collect it. The trade went smoothly.
'Human money’s useless here anyway.’
Among orcas, human currency was nothing more than shiny rocks—glittering but worthless.
After buying the clams from the merchant, Yul planned to return to his patrol zone to load up the Krelsite he had mined earlier.
That was when a group of orcas appeared before him. They were ones he had never seen before, and the moment they approached, the water around him seemed to grow colder.
He could even sense the tension—several nearby orcas had visibly stiffened.
'What’s this about?’
-Hmm. You must be Yul, right?
At the front of the group swam a peculiar orca, one marked by a savage scar that ran all the way across his snout.
-And you are?
-I am Calsonic, leader of the Ascensionists.
Ascensionists. A faction opposed to the Traditionalists—Nug had repeatedly warned him about them. He had said they were dangerous and terrifying, and to avoid them at all costs if he saw them.
-What business do you have with me?
-Would you consider joining us? We’d like to invite you to a truly remarkable place.
-I have no interest in being involved with your group. I don’t know much about ascension, and I can’t even understand the words written on those stone tablets.
Just as he always did, Yul gave a firm refusal to Calsonic’s invitation.
-Hmm. That’s unfortunate. I thought we could get along well.
-Why are you so interested in me, anyway?
-Don’t you realize? You’re a symbol. Among our generation of orcas, not one has ever witnessed an ascension. But you actually achieved it. You became one of us.
'Oh, great. A fanatic fanboy.’
He hadn’t asked for fans, and yet here they were—the obsessive kind, no less. And stalker-fans were never good news.
-Anyway, I’m not interested. I’ll be going now.
-A shame. Take care of yourself, though. You’re our icon, after all.
Yul ignored him and swam away, though he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that the orca’s words carried a hint of warning.
'I’ve got a bad feeling that the Ascensionists are going to be trouble sooner or later.’