Chapter 114: Deserted Island

The space inside the whale ship was vast; even with a dozen people seated within, there was no sense of crowding.

Once inside, Charles clearly sensed that this colossal beast possessed formidable vitality, nearing the pinnacle of evolutionary development.

He reached out and pressed his hand against its gray-black skin, feeling a powerful rebound force. Silently, he estimated its defensive capability—it seemed hardly inferior to that of diamond-hard armor.

The gargantuan creature swayed its tail, its streamlined body cutting through the waves as it steadily advanced into the boundless ocean. The gentle rocking inside was barely perceptible.

“Ugh…”

As they moved along, Irene, sitting beside Charles, suddenly murmured softly, pressing her delicate hand against her temple.

“What’s wrong?” Charles pulled his gaze back from outside, concern evident in his voice.

“I suddenly feel a bit of a headache…”

“If you’re tired, just sleep for a while. I’ll wake you when we arrive,” Charles offered, reaching out to let her rest her head on his shoulder. Irene initially struggled but quickly gave in, laying her small head on his shoulder and drifting off to sleep in an instant.

So fast… Charles couldn’t help but chuckle quietly, amazed at how quickly she fell asleep.

His gaze returned outside, peering through the transparent membrane at the endless sea.

The ocean surface was calm, with seabirds soaring in the sky, occasionally swooping down like kamikaze bombers to snatch plump fish from the water with their claws.

Other marine creatures leapt from the waves, frolicking in the infinite ocean expanse.

Such a beautiful and tranquil life was, unfortunately, destined not to last long. Charles’s eyes darkened, as if he could see through the flow of time itself…

“All right, time to wake up, you little sleepyhead.”

Feeling the gentle movement of the body, Irene groggily opened her eyes and yawned.

“Hmm, it looks like you drooled a bit…”

The teasing tone from beside her flushed her cheeks. Hastily, she turned her head to wipe the corner of her mouth before changing the subject.

“Charles, I had a dream… I saw a group of monsters appearing, chasing some people.”

“What kind of monsters exactly? And who were the people they were chasing?” Charles sat up straighter, listening intently.

Since Irene possessed the ability to foresee the future, her dreams were often extraordinary and likely prophetic.

With his arrival, many things had begun to change—the detailed stories he knew were shifting timelines, leaving only the major events yet to unfold prematurely.

Thus, he couldn’t grasp the future clearly on his own and needed this young girl’s insight.

Irene sat upright as well, closing her eyes to recall the vision, her hands gesturing gently. “They weren’t too large, about the size of Little Moon. They looked like oversized insects… chasing a group of people, but I can’t quite remember what those people looked like…”

She suddenly clutched her head tightly, and Charles hurried to comfort her: “If you can’t remember, don’t force it. Maybe it was just an ordinary dream.”

“Yeah, maybe. After all, since arriving in Morlent, I haven’t had any prophetic dreams. Probably just shadows from those terrifying insect totems I saw yesterday,” Irene said, raising her head and smiling lightly as if to ease the mood.

“Let’s go. It’s time to get out.” Charles gently patted her shoulder, and the two followed the others as they departed the whale ship.

The whale ship was moored against a large, protruding rock above the water, allowing the group to disembark onto the shore. The massive creature then swished its tail, drifting slowly nearby as it waited for their return.

Having observed the island from afar, Charles had seen many towering trees resembling banyan trees, their aerial roots hanging down thickly, creating an almost impenetrable thicket.

Seabirds perched atop the canopy, and upon closer inspection, shapes resembling monkeys were visible, leaping nimbly through the branches.

After landing, the group divided into several teams to begin their initial survey, as this was a learning expedition and they needed to accomplish some real work first.

The tasks were carefully assigned: after the survey, some would search for food, others would gather firewood, ensuring the campsite was well stocked.

Charles, Irene, and three others formed a small team, setting out along the island’s western shore.

“Hello, I’m Lan Black. Just call me Lan,” said a boy in the group, youthful in appearance, his deep green eyes lowered shyly.

“Hello,” Charles replied.

The boy appeared to be about fourteen or fifteen, with long, deep black hair cascading to his shoulders. He looked delicate and somewhat feminine, but the spiritual energy emanating from him was already that of a second-level Life Mage.

Yet, Charles felt no threat from him—instead, there was an unconscious sense of closeness.

It seemed this boy was imbued with a rich natural aura, accompanied by the fragrances of flowers and the songs of birds.

Lan asked with interest, “My main totem is the Moonlight Fox, named Firefly. What about yours?”

“Bluewood Bird, a very special avian totem beast,” Charles answered, summoning it with a gesture. A bird with blue feathers appeared, resembling a magpie in shape.

Charles was reminded of the legendary Blue Bird from the Chinese myth, also a renowned figure.

The five of them walked along the forest’s edge, chatting and laughing as they examined various plants and caught sight of dozens of small insects.

Unfortunately, the creatures around the forest’s perimeter were mostly common and unremarkable. After some discussion, they decided to venture into the dense forest.

Once inside, the difficulty of navigating the thick woods quickly caused the two accompanying girls to complain bitterly.

There was no avoiding it—this primeval forest had never been explored before, filled with lush branches and thickets of dense vines, making the path ahead almost impenetrable.

The two girls found the pungent smell unbearable and, after less than two hundred meters, chose to turn back. Charles did not stop them; they returned together along the same route.

Then, he summoned Moonchild to lead the way.

A fierce howl erupted from Moonchild as its body suddenly expanded to five meters tall, transforming into a terrifying giant beast that effortlessly carved out a smooth path.

Trees snapped like straw beneath its powerful claw strikes, utterly unable to resist its casual swipes.

Main Totem: Bluewood Bird (Rare Bird)
Abilities: Floral Ornament (see Digimon Flower Fairy), Gale Storm (see Pokémon), Seed Power
Evolution: Vinewood Bird
Additional Skill: Marionette

Auxiliary Totem: Lily of the Valley Spirit
Abilities: Lily Bell Sound (restores 5% HP to target unit), Flower Time, Strange Fragrance (see Pokémon)