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

As Ethan slowly walked away, the voices of the two men faded into the background, becoming barely audible.

Outwardly, he seemed indifferent, as though their conversation hadn't piqued his interest. Without hesitation, he moved on to focus on his own tasks.

But when he entered the reference room and sat down in front of the documents and records he'd planned to study, he found himself mulling over whether he should take the initiative to act.

"If I only stock food and water, the Caravel- sailboat will be at its fastest and most agile, making it hard for Keno to catch up in a sea chase," he thought.

However, after considering it further, he realized this strategy left him vulnerable to Keno's magic cannons. If his recently repaired and even remodeled ship sustained heavy damage, it would be a serious setback.

"Last time, they ran because they were out of ammunition," Ethan recalled. "But who's to say they haven't restocked by now?"

After weighing his options, he concluded that fighting on the open sea would still leave him at a disadvantage. Waiting until Keno and his crew came ashore would be a smarter approach. It would eliminate the threat of magic cannons and negate the lack of naval combat experience on his part.

"They can't stay at sea forever. Patience is key," he reminded himself.

A good hunter must know when to wait. Impatience only gives prey a chance to escape—or worse, to counterattack.

Repeating this mantra in his mind, Ethan forced himself to refocus. He took a deep breath and began sifting through the information in front of him. Soon, he was completely absorbed.

Through the data stored in the guild's archives, Ethan learned an interesting fact: the Sea of Tranquility was connected to another ocean on the far side of the Sea of Storms.

The existence of a "passage" through the Sea of Storms wasn't exactly a secret. However, for most adventurers in the Sea of Calm, navigating this passage was a daunting and dangerous challenge.

Stronger, more experienced adventurers with better ships—sometimes outfitted with advanced magical technology Ethan was only vaguely aware of—had managed to traverse the passage. While it was still risky for even the most seasoned sailors, it wasn't an insurmountable obstacle for them.

These elite adventurers, however, rarely returned to the Sea of Calm. The primary reason was its lack of resources. Compared to other regions, the Sea of Calm was barren, earning it the nickname "The Barren Sea" among more powerful adventurers. For them, it wasn't a place worth staying in. At best, it served as a training ground for rookies to learn basic navigation and survival skills.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ethan felt his suspicions confirmed. The Sea of Calm really was a "beginner's zone." There was no point in trying to dominate it. His ultimate goal had to be breaking free of this sea and reaching the next one as soon as possible.

The guild, as it turned out, was even more expansive than he had expected. It wasn't just the central hub of life in the Sea of Tranquility; it also had a presence in the neighboring ocean.

A significant portion of the supplies collected by the guild in the Sea of Calm was transported to their stations in the next sea. There, these resources were exchanged for items more useful in this region—things like food, basic necessities, and low-grade magic stones.

High-quality magic stones, on the other hand, were incredibly rare in the Sea of Calm. A major reason for this scarcity was the guild itself, which collected these stones and shipped them out to the next sea. Few adventurers in this area had the wealth or power to hoard high-quality magic stones anyway. Most were more concerned with acquiring daily necessities. Food and water, in particular, were always in high demand.

Ethan reflected on his own situation. If not for the time-space pointer—a "cheat" of sorts—he would've struggled with the same issues. Learning the water-conjuring spell had been a game changer, solving the critical problem of drinking water. Even food, which could be sourced from the sea in emergencies, wasn't as essential as water.

Once again, Ethan realized just how fortunate he had been. Time and again, he had managed to acquire exactly what he needed most.

Unconsciously, his gaze shifted to his left hand.

"Once or twice might be luck," he murmured. "But three or four times? Maybe this isn't as random as I thought..."

This was proving difficult to navigate. With no new space-time energy to replenish his reserves, there was no way for Ethan to continue practicing.

After making sure no one else was around, he summoned the time-space Orb. He wasn't expecting anything extraordinary, certainly not to stumble upon new space-time energy in the middle of the night while still on the island. He'd mostly brought it out to pass the time.

But surprises always came when least expected.

"Space-time energy?" Ethan murmured, staring at the Orb, which clearly indicated a single direction. With a wry smile, he added, "I must've been overthinking it before. It's probably just dumb luck."

The discovery caught him completely off guard. Without hesitation, Ethan decided to leave the reference room. He'd already used the Book of Inheritance to copy the documents he needed, so there was no pressing reason to linger. Besides, the mysteries of space-time energy still eluded him. There was no pattern to their appearance—not in location, intensity, or timing. It all seemed utterly random.

Returning the documents to their proper places, Ethan left the archives.

By now, it was the dead of night.

The moon hung high in the sky, round and luminous, casting its pale glow over a nightscape dotted with countless stars. It was breathtakingly beautiful, like a scene painted by a master artist.

Unfortunately, Ethan wasn't in the mood to appreciate it. He fixed his gaze on the direction indicated by the pointer and began to follow it. After walking a short distance, he paused to double-check the pointer, ensuring he stayed on track while confirming no one was watching.

"I wonder if it's still on this island," he muttered to himself.

Based on the single arrow on the pointer, the energy wasn't far, but he couldn't rule out the possibility that it might be just beyond the island's borders, out at sea. If that were the case, tonight's search would be in vain.

His luck, however, seemed to hold steady. Ethan had barely left the guild archives—he hadn't even exited the guild complex—when the pointer led him straight to the space-time energy.

"There it is," he said, slightly surprised. "Doesn't seem like much this time."

Fortunately, Ethan no longer needed to absorb the energy on the spot, which had previously triggered the activation of the teleportation circle. Those moments had been both conspicuous and passive, forcing him into action.

But now, after some practice, his control had improved. He could absorb the energy into his body without immediately triggering the magic circle. Once absorbed, the energy concentrated within the intricate circle etched on the back of his left hand.

The magic circle began to faintly glow, a clear sign that it had been activated. While the energy didn't overwhelm his mental faculties, its presence was undeniable, like a tightly contained storm waiting to be unleashed.

Ethan studied the glowing circle and mused aloud, "The last time I trained with this, the energy was stable because most of it had already been spent during the initial teleportation. What remained was calm, making it easier to practice.

"But this new batch is much more volatile. The intensity is lower, and there's less of it, which is the only reason I've been able to suppress it. If it were stronger, I might've been teleported away against my will."

Satisfied that the energy was temporarily under control, Ethan decided not to strain himself further. Instead, he returned to the dormitory and knocked on Arthur's door.

He expected a delay. Arthur, after all, had been dizzy earlier due to the knowledge transfer spell, and most people would be in a deep sleep at this hour.

But to his surprise, Arthur appeared fully dressed and ready for action shortly after the knock. The young king stood before him, armed and alert, with not a trace of exhaustion on his face.

"You're quick," Ethan commented.

"If you're knocking on my door at this hour, something unexpected must've come up. When I rest, I keep all my gear within arm's reach. Makes things faster," Arthur replied.

Ethan nodded approvingly. Given their current circumstances, staying vigilant was a necessary habit.

"There's no need to rush," Ethan said. "Take a moment to double-check your gear and meet me in my room. We'll talk there."

Arthur shook his head. "No need. My equipment's packed. Everything I might need is in this bag." He gestured to a heavy backpack at his feet. "Let's go now. I'll have time to wash my face on the way."

Ethan couldn't help but smile at Arthur's preparedness. Together, they walked to his room. Once inside, Ethan locked the door and braced it with a chair for good measure. A fleeting thought crossed his mind that the setup seemed overly cautious but considering their situation, it wasn't entirely unwarranted.

Arthur, now fresh-faced after a quick rinse, stood with his backpack still slung over his shoulder, waiting for Ethan to explain.

"I found space-time energy on the island," Ethan began. "We might be looking at another plane trip."

As he spoke, Ethan raised his left hand, revealing the faintly glowing magic circle. Arthur immediately understood why he'd been called in the middle of the night.

"There's space-time energy on this island?" Arthur asked, intrigued.

"This is my first time finding it on land. I thought it only appeared at sea, but I guess it can manifest on floating islands too. Something to keep in mind for the future."

Arthur nodded thoughtfully. Given that Ethan had only experienced a handful of plane shifts, there was still much to learn about space-time energy and its quirks.

"Well then," Arthur said, his tone steady, "let's get to it."

Unlike Arthur, Ethan took a few moments to double-check his equipment before activating the magic circle.

As the teleportation began, the now-familiar brilliance of the magic circle enveloped them, though it felt less overwhelming than before. Ethan's growing control over the process ensured the release of space-time energy was more restrained, no longer like a blazing beacon in the dark.

When the light finally faded, Ethan and Arthur found themselves standing in an entirely new environment. However, the large, ominous sign in front of them immediately soured Ethan's mood:

"Welcome to Raccoon City!"

***

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