I Became an Evolving Deep-Sea Creature

Chapter 13. At the End of the Song

The deeper he went, the stronger the song that filled the sea became.

It was truly a sweet and beautiful melody.

Certain emotions or sensations can sometimes have an intense effect on someone.

For Yul, who was hearing such a high-frequency song for the first time, it felt like curiosity and enchantment.

The huge, round, orb-shaped dome had cracks in it, and one side was broken open.

Large fragments that had fallen from the hole were floating around, and between the shattered pieces of glass, the song leaked out.

The outer glass of the dome was so clean that it was strangely easy to see the inside.

The ancient buildings within were delicate and beautiful, as if someone had preserved them.

Yul scattered ultrasonic waves. The waves bounced back, revealing every corner within.

'This looks like another ruin. But it's definitely not made by humans.'

It didn't even resemble that temple he had seen before. The architecture seemed to have been made by an entirely different race.

Most of the buildings were enormous, with no stairs—they were mostly composed of circular passageways.

'What kind of race could have built such massive structures? And why did this place sink to the bottom of the sea?'

Yul couldn't suppress his fascination. He wanted to retrace the flow of history deeply engraved within this place.

'It'd be nice if I gained an ability like psychometry someday. I want to find out what happened here.'

He thought that maybe magic or evolution could grant him a similar power someday—but for now, it was just a thought.

The strange thing was that there were no sea creatures inside other than Yul himself.

'Why is that? The glass is broken, so ordinary fish should be able to enter.'

The inside of the dome was warmer than the outside, and it seemed like a good habitat for living beings—so why weren't there any?

Yul continued moving inward. Deeper and deeper.

On the inner walls, ancient murals were engraved.

In the elaborate murals was depicted a strange, humanoid race.

[Turusa.]

Their bodies, resembling those of humans, were close to gray. At the ends of both arms were fin-like sleeves. Their skin was smooth, with scales covering some areas.

[The immortal race that built the Great Empire of the Sea.]

'.....!?'

He didn't know the language at all, yet somehow, Yul could understand it.

He turned his eyes along the ancient murals.

[They fought a war against the Outer God that crawled up from the Abyss, and in the end, every race was 'erased' from reality.]

At the end of the mural, countless Turusans were shown reaching out in despair.

And at the very end of it— ■■■■.

─────Chzzzzzzzt.

His memory was erased in an instant.

Yul realized he should not have looked at the mural depicting the Outer God's form. If he kept watching, he would become "corrupted."

He turned his eyes to another mural.

There was a giant clam, a great king clam. Inside its open shell was a bizarre creature.

[Syrendron.]

It was far too strange to be called a living creature.

It had the upper body of a human. But it was by no means human. Nor was it like the Turusan, its supposed original form.

Its whole body was covered in pitch-black skin, and on its jet-black face, only the eyelids glowed in fluorescent color.

Behind it trailed hundreds of extremely long, string-like dorsal fins, fluttering gently like ribbons.

[Syrendron.]

[A biological weapon created by the Turusan to fight against the Outer God.]

[The immortal Turusan modified their own bodies to create it. Most were made using the corrupted corpses of Turusan, who had fallen to the Outer God. Until it was erased, the Syrendron fought a desperate battle against the Outer God.]

[It possessed powerful mind-control and mental resistance abilities. Each of its tentacles was imbued with a mantra, it had tireless determination, and a regenerative capacity that restored itself infinitely.]

[When the Turusan race perished, all Syrendrons were destroyed as well.]

[But the last remaining one was sealed here. The reason is unknown.]

Yul smacked his lips. It was a habit he used to have when he swallowed saliva back when he was human.

That was how tense he was.

'So... that thing actually exists in here?'

Just looking at the Syrendron, that biological weapon, was terrifying enough to send chills down his spine.

Honestly, he had absolutely no desire to fight against such an ancient creature.

If the Syrendron was waiting at the end of that song, Yul fully intended to run away the moment he saw it.

Creeping forward through a narrow gap that didn't seem like the proper path, Yul finally found a chamber on the deepest level.

'Whoa.......'

It was as if auroras were blooming in every direction around him.

And in the center of it stood the Syrendron. The purple giant clam was closed, but strange, magical energy leaked from the cracks between its shells, and the song could be heard.

'Time to run.'

Yul turned his body to escape—but then froze.

'What's that?'

From the main passage, not the narrow gap he'd entered through, a group emerged.

They were a pod of orcas—true predators of the sea.

Yul had seen orcas from afar before.

But these looked different. Their black skin bore white tattoo-like markings, which glowed fluorescent whenever they swam into darker areas.

-The seal?

-It's weakened further. Judging by the volume of the song, the creature will break free soon.

-We must prepare. Assemble the war division.

The orcas were conversing with each other like that.

Yul, instantly intrigued, forgot about running away and decided to watch from a distance.

'A seal? They sealed the Syrendron?'

The orcas called for reinforcements from those outside.

Soon, their numbers doubled. They prepared with grim determination.

Yul realized that every one of them was a powerful warrior—and that they were prepared to risk their lives.

-Open it!

The leading orca charged forward, striking the top of the purple giant clam with its tail.

Thump!

A tremendous shockwave burst out. The beautiful song cut off abruptly, and the glowing light dimmed.

Moments later, the clam's shell creaked open.

And from within, the black, monstrous figure emerged.

Its entire body was jet-black, yet its eyes gleamed with such vivid light that it was frightening.

From its back, countless tentacle-like appendages unfurled, each glowing with an eerie light.

-Looks like there are over a hundred tentacles.

-We must destroy them all.

-Only by removing the tentacles can we seal it again!

A brutal battle erupted between the orca pod and the Syrendron.

The orcas were astonishingly fast and agile. They bit down on the floating tentacles, crushing them, and at times, tore them off by force.

But the Syrendron didn't stay still either. It spread its tentacles wildly, transforming them into sharp, spear-like blades that shot in every direction.

It was like watching countless guided missiles flying through the water.

One of the smaller orcas, performing acrobatic maneuvers like in a deadly circus, failed to dodge a single tentacle.

Slash!

-Kyaaaaargh!

A single tentacle impaled it—then dozens more drove into its body like spears.

-No!

The limp orca's body trembled, then suddenly turned to attack another of its kind.

-Look at his eyes! They're white! He's already under control!

Amid the terrifying onslaught, more victims fell.

-'Pharen' is down!

-Impossible. 'Nugh,' there are too many tentacles!

-We still have to do it!

By the time the largest orca bit through the sixth tentacle, fewer than half of the orcas remained alive.

Some had fallen under mind control; others were trembling and convulsing, their bodies impaled by countless tentacles.

-If the Syrendron is completely unleashed, our waters will be destroyed!

-Defend it for the sake of our families!

Yul, who had been carefully observing the desperate struggle of the orca tribe, thought that maybe—just maybe—he could intervene.

'Its back is completely exposed.'

The Syrendron's main target was the orca pod. Every one of its tentacles was directed toward them.

It seemed not to have noticed the small creature that was Yul—its back was facing him.

'Ah, what should I do? Go in, or not?'

Yul honestly didn't care about this seal business—he had only followed the song here.

He wasn't particularly interested in the orcas' battle either. It's not like he even liked orcas in the first place.

This stretch of sea had nothing to do with him, and he had no particular stake in it.

But... still!

'That bastard turned its back on me?'

Yul's ambush happened in an instant. He accelerated rapidly, and at the moment he closed in—"Madness" activated, muscles swelling in an explosive pump.

【Authority—Madness (狂化) Activated】

'Take this! Spinning attack!'

He gathered eight of his tentacles neatly together, forming a whirlpool—and spun like a drill straight through!

The Syrendron noticed Yul at the last possible moment.

Several tentacles turned toward him—but before they could react, Yul's body had already pierced through the bundle of tentacles!

He burst clean through the Syrendron's body and out the other side.

The Authority was a cheat skill.

Yul scattered ultrasonic waves toward the Syrendron's pierced torso.

-.....!?

The creature froze, as if utterly caught off guard.

-What?! You there, octopus! Well done!

-The tentacle mass has been severed! Just a little more!

Even so, the Syrendron looked down at the gaping hole in its abdomen, almost curiously, then raised its hand to cover the wound.

And then—it started regenerating.

Yul knew it had regenerative abilities, but to heal even a wound that massive? That was new.

-Most of the tentacles are cut off!

-Good. Reseal it. We'll close the shell together!

All around, severed tentacles floated. The surviving orcas gathered, pushing the purple clam shut.

They slammed their tails against it, forcing the shell to close; others took turns hammering it shut.

The Syrendron stretched its arm outward.

Something about that sight gave Yul a déjà vu—it looked eerily similar to what he'd seen in the ancient mural. Coincidence, perhaps?

Soon, the Syrendron was sealed back within the clam's shell.

Yul's Madness was released immediately. The orca pod approached him.

Yul realized they had no intention of hostility—if they had, Madness would've reactivated instantly.

-Deep-sea octopus, we offer you our gratitude.

-Thank you, octopus.

-You are our hero.

-Eh? Me?

-To think that such a small creature could display such power!

'I just attacked because its back was showing, that's all.'

But Yul's legendary strike seemed to have deeply impressed the orcas—they looked at him as though they'd just witnessed David strike down Goliath.

They were showing respect to a creature they would normally consider prey.

-Indeed. The Syrendron possesses the power to destroy entire seas. Only when its tentacles are few can it be brought down.

-We've been fighting this endless battle—seal it, it regenerates, and we seal it again.

-Only those who survive this war are considered warriors among our "Eastern Blue" tribe.

Because of the Turusan nature of immortality, the Syrendron was undying. It seemed they had no choice but to repeat this sealing process endlessly.

-You are no ordinary octopus. We would like to invite you to our village.

-Uh... sure, I guess.

Yul was reluctant, but he accepted. It was partly curiosity—and partly greed. After all, he needed to meet ten intelligent beings to fulfill his ascension requirement.

And even counting all the orca warriors here, the total didn't yet reach ten.