Multiverse Drift

Ethan swallowed hard, his parched throat protesting as he took a small sip of water from the wooden spoon.

"This is it, my last bit of water. If I don't see land or rain soon, I might go down in history as the first reincarnator to die of thirst." Staring at the bottom of the bucket, he let out a bitter chuckle. The thought of such an inglorious death was both depressing and absurd. To think he might meet his end this way.

Placing the wooden spoon aside, Ethan carefully covered the bucket. Returning to the bow of his small boat, he straightened his posture and muttered to himself, "There's always a way. Things will get better." Clinging to the shred of optimism, he fixed his gaze on the horizon, hoping desperately for a change in the endless expanse of blue before him. Anything—land, a ship, even a bird in the distance, anything to prove he wasn't doomed to this monotonous seascape.

Ethan raised his left hand and focused. A faint, light blue glow shimmered into existence in his palm, and moments later, a translucent blue orb materialized.

The orb wasn't particularly remarkable. Its only defining feature was the arrow-like object at its center, which pointed unerringly in the direction his boat was headed.

"I trust you're my golden finger," Ethan muttered, "but please, don't fail me…"

As the orb pulsed faintly in his hand, Ethan found his mind drifting. He thought back to the strange, unfamiliar world he had found himself in years ago. For the first time in a while, doubt crept into his heart. Depending on something so mysterious, something he barely understood—suddenly felt reckless, even foolish.

"In the future… if there is a future… I can't afford to act so blindly again."

The name Ethan had carried over from his previous life, but that was all. In his old world, he had a surname—Parker—but here, he was just Ethan. No family name, no lineage, just a single name.

In his past life, Ethan had been entirely ordinary. He was good at school but not exceptional, landed a decent job that paid the bills, and lived a quiet, uneventful life. He'd expected that life to stretch on into old age. But fate had other plans. A sudden illness struck him down, and before he knew it, he was here.

When he awoke, he found himself in the body of a young man on the verge of death. Thankfully, he inherited the boy's memories, which included the local language and general knowledge about this new world. That helped him adapt quickly, ensuring that the boy's father didn't notice anything amiss.

Under his "new" father's care, Ethan grew up, slowly learning the truth of the world he now inhabited.

This was a world dominated by oceans. Land was scarce, so scarce that it couldn't sustain large populations. Even though the islands scattered across the vast seas were rich in marine life and had mild, pleasant climates, they could only provide so much.

Over the years, Ethan had watched countless people leave their homes and families behind, sailing off into the unknown in search of the legendary "Endless Land." They left everything to their children, hoping to give the next generation a better chance. But no one ever returned.

Not once.

Even the oldest residents of the island had no stories of someone coming back.

To Ethan, the conclusion was obvious. The island was a backward, stagnant place, and its people clung to the most basic rules of survival. Those who ventured into the sea weren't pioneers or adventurers, they were sacrificing themselves so their families could live. The so-called "Endless Land" might exist, but it was likely just an ordinary continent, far out of reach for the island's primitive ships.

"They all died at sea," Ethan murmured to himself.

After all, if they had succeeded, someone would have returned for their loved ones. Surely, at least one person would have tried to reunite with their family.

Whether his theory was true or not, Ethan couldn't say for sure. What he did know was that when he was sixteen, his father returned from a journey gravely ill. Despite fighting for weeks, the illness claimed him.

Once Ethan had completed the necessary rites as his father's son, he made a choice. He didn't join the island's bustling fishing fleet, which was considered the most respectable and reliable career path. Instead, he found the boat his father had quietly prepared and set out on his own journey, determined to find the "Endless Land."

Why? Because Ethan refused to settle for the mundane life of a fisherman on what he saw as a backwards, stagnant island. But there was another reason, one far more compelling.

The glowing orb in his hand.

When it first appeared, it was little more than a faint, flickering light. Over time, it grew more stable, until it finally took the form of a proper orb. It had taken Ethan seven long years to bring it to this state.

And during all that time, the arrow within the orb had never wavered. It pointed in the same direction, always steady and unchanging.

Ethan, who had devoured countless novels in his past life, couldn't help but interpret it as a sign. "Leave this dead-end island," the orb seemed to say. "There's something greater waiting for you out there."

He had taken the message to heart. Setting out to sea had been daunting, but over time, his awkward and clumsy movements turned into confident, practiced routines. The lessons his father had taught him transformed from abstract knowledge into instinctive skills.

The sea had been kind to him thus far. This particular region was calm, with no violent storms or unpredictable currents, giving Ethan plenty of time to hone his abilities.

And as the three arrows on the orb's display dwindled to two, and then to one, the problems he encountered on his journey seemed to disappear, as though the world itself was clearing the way.

Now, as the single remaining arrow pointed the way forward, Ethan's excitement grew. The treasure he was searching for felt closer than ever.

As the water in his boat dwindled to almost nothing, Ethan finally came to terms with the harsh reality of his situation. He was adrift in an endless sea, with no hope of rescue. All his hopes and resources rested on a small boat less than ten meters long. Without fresh water, he estimated he wouldn't survive more than three days.

"Of course… I was just an ordinary guy in my last life. What made me think I could suddenly become the main character in some grand adventure?"

Ethan stared at the bone-dry bucket in silence. Gradually, his panic subsided, replaced by a strange calm.

"There's no point in losing my head now. Either I pray for rain, or I trust this pointer, wherever it's leading me."

Desperation pushed Ethan to the very edge of his endurance. He pushed the boat as hard as he could, rationing the last of his water-rich fruits to keep himself alive.

This way, he managed to hang on for five more days. Just when his strength was about to give out, something finally happened.

The orb in his hand changed.

The arrow, which had always pointed forward, suddenly shifted downward, pointing toward the water beneath him.

"Is this it? Did I… arrive?"

Ethan quickly retracted the sails and dropped anchor. Standing on the deck, he scanned his surroundings, but the view hadn't changed in the slightest. It was still an endless stretch of ocean in every direction.

"Under the water?"

His face darkened at the thought. Having grown up on an island, Ethan was no stranger to swimming, but after weeks at sea, his body was far too weak for diving. And even if he were at full strength, who could say how deep the water was here?

He glanced at the sea around him. It was still a clear, light blue with faint green undertones, the same color it had been for days. That likely meant it wasn't an actual deep sea, but still, it was far beyond the reach of someone diving without equipment.

"I'm stuck…" he muttered helplessly.

He sighed deeply, slumping back onto the bow of his boat.

"So this is how it ends. Just my luck to go out like this. I wonder if I'll get a second chance… again?"

For a brief moment, Ethan considered jumping into the water. Would drowning be less agonizing than dying of thirst?

As his thoughts spiraled, his gaze drifted to his left hand and that's when he noticed something unusual.

Up until now, his left hand had always looked normal unless he summoned the orb. But this time, a strange, intricate pattern was forming on the back of his hand.

"What is this…?"

The lines grew clearer and more defined, eventually forming a complex design.

"Is this… a magic circle?"

As soon as the pattern completed itself, it began to emit a soft, blue glow. Then, without warning, a wave of mental energy surged into Ethan's mind from the circle.

In an instant, he understood everything.

"Hah! So there really is a way out!" Ethan laughed aloud. The relief was overwhelming, but the effort made him cough violently.

Reeling from the sudden burst of energy, Ethan steadied himself and moved to the center of the boat, the most stable part of the vessel. Kneeling on one knee, he pressed his left hand firmly against the deck.

"I have to give it everything I've got. My body's in terrible shape right now, and I don't even know if I'll have enough energy to pull this off."

But Ethan didn't hesitate. He knew this was his only shot. If he failed now, he'd have to try again after using the last of his food and water. And if his body gave out before he could try again…

"There's no other choice. Let's do this!"

Summoning every ounce of mental energy he had, Ethan focused on his left hand. Years of practice made the process almost second nature, and despite his weakened state, he executed it smoothly.

As his mental energy poured into the magic circle, its glow grew brighter and brighter. Finally, the circle flared to life, projecting a matching design onto the boat's deck.

"It worked!"

Seeing the magic circle activate, Ethan felt a rush of hope. At the same time, a new stream of mental energy flowed back into his mind, carrying with it detailed information about the circle. He now knew how to use it, the exact process for activating it, and most importantly—its purpose.

Plane Shuttle.

That was what the magic circle was for.

Ethan, having been thoroughly steeped in Internet novels in his previous life, didn't need anyone to explain what that meant. He understood immediately.

Of course, there were boundless risks ahead. But here, stranded in the middle of the ocean with no water or supplies, those risks didn't matter. He had no choice.

"Wherever it sends me… it can't be worse than this."

As the magic circle's light enveloped him, Ethan felt his body start to fade. The teleportation was beginning. But just as he was about to leave, a wave of dizziness swept over him. His exhaustion finally caught up to him, making him feel like he was collapsing after an all-night study session back in his old life.

"Seriously? Passing out at the last second? Just my luck…"

Before his vision went dark, Ethan caught one final glimpse of his surroundings. The glow of the magic circle faded away, revealing a group of robed figures standing around him.

They were watching him with wary eyes, and one of them, a bald woman in yellow robes began to approach. Her lips moved as though she were speaking, but before Ethan could make out what she was saying, his consciousness slipped away entirely.