Drift Of The Multiverse: [Marvel] [Resident Evil] [DC] [Bleach] [DB]

"Is this your boat?"

Young Arthur was still marveling at everything around him. Having spent most of his life in the secluded valley with Merlin, the vastness of the sea and the sight of the boat filled him with excitement and curiosity.

After spending extra time on Arthur's plane, Ethan had returned to the Sea of Calm once more.

This time, however, he wasn't alone. The young King Arthur had accompanied him, and Ethan had finally figured out how to bring someone back through the magic circle.

For sentient beings, as long as they stood within the magic circle's range and willingly chose to "follow" Ethan, they could travel together.

However, for non-sentient objects—like ores, water, or books Ethan couldn't simply leave them within the circle or even touch them to transport them. He needed to consciously "bring" them with him, which made the process more deliberate and intentional.

"So that's how it works," Ethan murmured, finally understanding the mechanics.

With his growing control over time and space energy, new information had surfaced. Ethan suspected that as his mastery improved, he'd uncover all the secrets of the magic circle. Perhaps one day, he wouldn't even need the time-space pointer to activate it. He might be able to use his own magic power to do so.

As his thoughts wandered, his gaze drifted to the hourglass nearby. The sand inside had barely moved, as if time had just begun flowing again.

"So, every time I travel, time here stays frozen?" He shook his head, correcting himself. "No, it's more likely that the moment I return is synchronized closely with the time I left. This magic circle isn't just about plane travel, it's tied to the realm of time as well."

Turning back to Arthur, Ethan observed the boy's new appearance. Arthur had trimmed his long blond hair before their departure. Ethan had casually mentioned that long hair could be inconvenient, especially for travel, and Arthur had taken his advice seriously. However, the short haircut had an unintended quirk: a small tuft of hair stubbornly refused to lie flat, sticking out awkwardly.

Arthur also sported gear gifted by Merlin: a set of silver-white light armor paired with a blue shirt, and a massive two-handed broadsword over a meter in length. As for the other items Merlin had given him, Ethan wasn't entirely sure what they all did. The only thing he did know was that Merlin had cast a special blessing on Arthur to ensure he wouldn't drown in the sea.

Neither Ethan nor Arthur fully understood the specifics of this blessing.

Before long, Arthur had explored the entire ship and even noticed the smaller boat being towed behind it. "Is that your trophy?" he asked, pointing at it.

"No, this ship is my trophy," Ethan corrected, gesturing to the Caravel.

He had briefly explained the situation of the Sea of Calm to Arthur before, but he hadn't gone into much detail about his adventures there.

"It seems this world has plenty of shameless villains," Arthur remarked.

"When there are no rules or restrictions, people tend to push the boundaries of morality," Ethan replied.

The Caravel's interior was spacious, with various designated areas for different purposes, including a captain's cabin and a crew quarters. But with only two people aboard, there was more than enough space. Ethan decided to use the captain's cabin as a shared lounge for the two of them.

As for the bed arrangements? Arthur, despite being the heir to a kingdom, had grown up with a practical lifestyle. While his needs had always been met, he hadn't developed the extravagance often associated with royalty. The cabin's modest setup didn't bother him in the slightest.

"I'd recommend taking off that armor and storing it," Ethan suggested. "Wearing it all the time is just asking for trouble."

Ethan himself had shed his armor as soon as they returned to the ship. If he'd kept it on for too long, the relentless sun of the Sea of Tranquility would have turned it into an oven.

The weather here was usually calm, with the sun shining brightly most of the time. Under such conditions, metal armor could become unbearably hot in less than an hour.

Arthur, the naive boy, was already drenched in sweat but hadn't thought to take off his armor until Ethan suggested it.

Once Ethan spoke, Arthur hurriedly removed his armor and let out a long, relieved sigh. Seeing this, Ethan concluded the boy had yet to grasp the practicality of life at sea.

"But isn't it dangerous here? Shouldn't we wear armor all the time, just in case?" Arthur asked, still hesitant.

"Don't worry," Ethan reassured him. "The good thing about being at sea is the wide-open view. You'll usually spot other ships from far away, giving you plenty of time to decide if they're a threat and prepare accordingly before any potential fight."

Ethan spoke from experience, having learned these lessons not too long ago. Now, he was passing on this knowledge to Arthur, using it as an opportunity to teach him the basics of surviving at sea.

After explaining this, Ethan encouraged Arthur to organize his belongings. The young king-in-training had brought along an impressive amount of luggage—several large chests filled with items.

Meanwhile, Ethan headed to his storage area, where he retrieved Merlin's Book of Inheritance. Holding the book in his left hand, he activated it with his mental power, causing it to float in front of him. Its pages glowed with white light as it began absorbing the other books one by one.

The Book of Inheritance had two methods for recording data: it could either fully absorb a book or simply copy its contents.

Copying data required more time and mental effort, while full absorption was far easier. A beam of light would envelop the selected book, which would then vanish completely as its contents were transferred to the magic book. When Ethan read the absorbed material later, it felt identical to reading the original, as if the book had simply changed its cover.

"This is incredibly useful," Ethan remarked, satisfied.

He knew his collection of books would only grow in the future, especially given how much he still needed to learn. Even with an improving memory, he couldn't possibly keep everything in his head, nor could he carry a library everywhere he went. The Book of Inheritance solved all those problems.

After finishing his task, Ethan returned to the deck, feeling accomplished. He found Arthur standing on the poop deck, scanning the surroundings. The boy's attention alternated between the calm sea, the cloudless blue sky, and the occasional fish that leapt out of the water.

Eventually, Arthur's gaze settled on the ship itself. "How hard would it be to build a ship like this?" he asked, turning to Ethan.

"Uh..." Ethan hesitated, unsure of how to answer. He knew next to nothing about shipbuilding, especially the techniques available in this world. He could only rely on vague memories and impressions.

"I can't say for sure," Ethan admitted, "but judging by the level of productivity in your world, it would probably be very difficult if you relied solely on manual labor without magical assistance. Not to mention, the wood used for shipbuilding isn't exactly easy to come by."

Ethan's knowledge came from the novels he'd read in his previous life, some of which touched on the process of building sailing ships.

For a ship like this, the choice of wood was critical. Even if the right wood was found, it had to undergo extensive treatment and preparation before it could be used. The keel—the backbone of the ship—demanded even higher-quality materials.

Arthur nodded thoughtfully, processing the explanation. After a moment, he posed another question.

"This ship... it's not the best kind of ship, is it?"

Arthur's initial impression of the Caravel had been awe. It could sail steadily across the sea, even while carrying cargo and towing another boat. In his mind, such a vessel would be unrivaled in his kingdom's waters.

But upon recalling that Ethan had seized the ship from a group of mere robbers, Arthur began to reconsider. If this ship were truly exceptional, why would it have been in the hands of such ordinary criminals in a lawless world?

Ethan had reached a similar conclusion. There had to be better ships out there. ships capable of crossing the Sea of Storms. Using the Caravel for such a journey would be suicidal.

Ethan shared his thoughts with Arthur, shifting the conversation to ships from other worlds. He explained the concepts of steam engines, internal combustion engines, and even nuclear-powered vessels.

Hearing about these incredible technologies, Arthur's eyes lit up with excitement. "I see why Merlin insisted I travel with you," he said. "There's so much to learn from you."

Even after just one day, Arthur felt his decision to join Ethan was already paying off.

In the days that followed, Ethan adjusted his schedule. In addition to his existing training plans, he incorporated sparring sessions with Arthur into his routine.

He continued to focus on enhancing his spiritual power and mastering time-space energy. The former was scheduled for nighttime practice, while the latter had to be put on hold. The time-space energy stored in the pointer had been depleted, so Ethan would have to wait until he could collect more.

Life aboard the Caravel settled into a monotonous but productive rhythm. That was, until one day, as they approached State Island, something broke the tranquility.

Ethan was preparing to introduce Arthur to the central hub of the Sea of Calm when they noticed a large ship on the horizon.

Ethan quickly grabbed his binoculars to get a better look. The ship was at least twice the size of the Caravel, and it seemed to be heading straight toward them.

But size wasn't the most concerning thing.

The ship's behavior made its intentions clear. As soon as its crew spotted Ethan and Arthur, they adjusted course and began sailing toward them at full speed. From the bow of the ship, something resembling a cannon emerged, further confirming their hostile intent.

*****

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