Drift Of The Multiverse

Ethan pointed at the ship steadily closing the distance between them. Now, both sides could clearly see each other's situation. The opposing ship was larger and positioned higher, giving them a better vantage point than Ethan and Arthur. The two of them stood openly on the deck, and it didn't take long before both sides noticed one another.

Sean frowned in surprise. He hadn't expected to see two unfamiliar faces, let alone two young men. The dark-haired one appeared slightly older, but the blond one, he wasn't a kid, was he? Since when could children wander freely in the Sea of Calm?

Sean's expression darkened further. The more things veered from his expectations, the more irritable he became. And when he was unhappy, someone always paid the price. In his mind, the two youths standing before him had already been sentenced to death.

"Should we wait until they come aboard and then deal with them?"

Arthur's gaze remained locked on the man standing proudly at the bow of the opposing ship. He was tall and muscular, a formidable presence even compared to full-grown adults. Arthur's yet-to-fully-mature frame looked small in comparison.

"He's a tough opponent."

Arthur had come to this world alongside Ethan for two reasons: to broaden his horizons and to test himself against stronger opponents. Each fight was an opportunity to hone his skills and grow stronger.

Far from feeling fear in the face of a powerful adversary, Arthur felt a surge of excitement. His blood boiled, and his body trembled ever so slightly as anticipation coursed through him.

"Don't let the excitement get to you—it'll throw off your strength and precision."

Ethan's calm tone broke through Arthur's thoughts. While adrenaline could provide a boost in power and speed, it also diminished stability. Against a dangerous opponent, such recklessness could prove to be a fatal flaw.

"You're right. I need to stay focused."

Although Ethan lacked formal training, his time spent fighting dark creatures in the Diablo World had honed his instincts and taught him invaluable lessons through countless battles. These experiences were precisely what Arthur lacked.

In many ways, their strengths and weaknesses complemented each other perfectly. Until they reached a higher level of power, working together was undoubtedly their best option.

Arthur took a deep breath and calmed himself, his composure returning. By this time, the enemy ship had closed the distance and locked itself to Ethan's vessel with grappling hooks. The opposing crew, armed with weapons, began leaping onto their deck.

At the bow of the other ship, the tall man stood unmoving, looking down at Ethan and Arthur with disdain.

"Where's that coward Angus? Isn't this his ship?"

Ethan hadn't expected the first words out of their mouths to be about someone named Angus. He thought they'd immediately demand surrender or valuables. Angus? He vaguely recalled killing someone by that name earlier.

"Are you talking about that bastard who liked to rob people?" Ethan asked coolly.

Sean's interest was piqued. He studied the dark-haired young man in front of him with a glint of curiosity. "So, you're not one of his men?"

Ethan smirked in contempt. "Why would I ever work under trash like him?"

"You killed Angus? You took this ship from him, didn't you?" Sean pointed at the sailboat beneath Ethan's feet, then gestured toward the front of the hull. "Don't bother denying it. I doubt anyone else would be dumb enough to name their ship Mad Dog except that coward."

The ship's name was carved into the side of the hull. Ethan hadn't paid much attention to it at first, but when he eventually noticed, he'd thought about changing it when they got back to State Island. However, he hadn't gotten around to it yet.

Now, faced with Sean's accusation, Ethan wasn't the kind of person to cower or back down.

"What about it?"

Sean suddenly burst out laughing. "Doesn't matter! This ship will be mine soon, anyway." He pointed at the smaller boat being towed behind it. "And that one too."

Then, turning his attention back to Ethan and Arthur, Sean's expression became mockingly playful. "As for you two…" His eyes swept over their equipment, narrowing slightly when he noticed how well-made and striking their gear was. "Hand over everything you've got, and maybe—if I'm in a good mood—I'll keep you alive as servants aboard my ship."

Ethan glanced up at Sean, who still hadn't left his position on the opposing vessel. A plan formed in his mind, if he could lure Sean onto his boat, it would make things easier. Capture the leader, and the rest would fall apart.

"Who are you supposed to be? Why should I hand over anything?"

Sean let out a derisive snort. "Who am I? You don't know who I am?" He seemed almost offended at first but then paused, as though realizing how young Ethan and Arthur looked. "Ah, so you're just a couple of rookies. Let me enlighten you—I'm Sean, the Fire Hand."

"Fire Hand?"

Ethan's gaze instinctively dropped to Sean's hands. Sure enough, his left hand was adorned with a unique glove—somewhere between a gauntlet and a regular glove. Though partially concealed by his sleeve, Ethan caught the faint glow of a magic stone embedded in it.

"A fire-attribute magic stone? For combat? Can it manipulate fire element energy?" Ethan's sharp mind quickly pieced together the truth about Sean's equipment.

Sean, oblivious to Ethan's deductions, continued to smirk, confident in his perceived advantage.

The glove, equipped with an inlaid fire-attribute magic stone, was Sean's ace. It allowed him to channel and control fire elemental energy. In the Sea of Calm, where magic stone equipment was rare, this glove had made him a terror to his enemies and earned him his nickname.

Unfortunately, it was his only piece of magic stone equipment. Sean had long dreamed of finding another high-quality magic stone to craft a matching glove and strengthen his power further. If he could accomplish that, he planned to challenge the Sea of Storms.

When he suspected that Angus might have found a rare magic stone, Sean had grown excited at the prospect. But now, seeing Ethan and Arthur, a new idea formed in his mind.

"These two managed to kill Angus… Do they have magic stone equipment of their own?"

Sean's eyes flickered with greed as he considered the possibility, and his previously casual demeanor became more guarded. Suspicion kept him quiet for a moment.

On Ethan's end, his focus remained on baiting Sean to come aboard, so he also chose to stay silent. The tense atmosphere hung in the air, broken only when one of Sean's sailors decided to make a move.

"Did you hear that, boys?" The sailor sneered, stepping forward arrogantly. "Our captain is Sean, the Flame Sovereign of the Sea of Calm! You better surrender now before it's too late! Hahaha!"

The sailor raised a hand to shove Ethan's head in an attempt to humiliate him.

Having been in the Sea of Calm for years, these sailors assumed that Ethan and Arthur—surrounded as they were—wouldn't dare to resist. In their eyes, the two youths had no choice but to kneel and plead for mercy. As for their gear? The sailors couldn't help but covet it, though they knew Sean would claim it for himself. If they were lucky, Sean might reward them with something afterward.

Unfortunately for the sailor, Ethan wasn't the type to cower.

With a swift kick, Ethan sent the man flying backward, slamming into his stomach with enough force to knock him down like a rolling gourd. The unlucky sailor collided with several of his companions, sending them sprawling as well.

"Go!" Ethan shouted to Arthur. He had no intention of waiting for Sean to descend, it was clear the man wasn't planning to step onto the deck anytime soon.

Additionally, with so many sailors already aboard, the enemy ship was unlikely to launch a cannon attack. The confined space of the deck worked to Ethan and Arthur's advantage. Rather than being overwhelmed by sheer numbers, the limited space meant they'd face two or three enemies at a time, at most.

For someone like Ethan, who had an arsenal of tools at his disposal, handling two or three opponents simultaneously was hardly a challenge. The first sailor who charged at him ended up unconscious on the deck, felled by a sharp blow to the head. The man would likely wake up with a severe concussion—if he woke up at all.

Arthur, meanwhile, had already moved to cover the other side of the deck. The two had barely spoken but instinctively coordinated their actions. Arthur's movements were faster than Ethan's, he immediately held his ground and cut down four enemies in a matter of seconds.

Despite his young age, Arthur's swordsmanship was exceptional. None of the sailors could match him in a one-on-one fight. Even when they attacked in groups, they struggled to keep up with the relentless flurry of his strikes. Screams filled the air as more and more sailors fell to the deck.

Sean, still standing on his ship, was momentarily stunned by the sight of his men being cut down so easily. The continuous cries of pain jolted him out of his daze, and his face turned an ugly shade of red. Veins bulged on his neck as rage overtook him.

"Get out of my way!"

At Sean's command, the remaining sailors instinctively backed off, retreating to let their captain handle things. However, a few who had already engaged Ethan or Arthur found themselves unable to escape so easily.

One desperate sailor tried to hit Ethan with a club and then retreat. He turned his back on Ethan, hoping to avoid a fatal counterattack. What he hadn't anticipated was the iron rod in Ethan's hand sparking with a sudden burst of lightning.

The magic stone embedded in Ethan's weapon discharged a surge of electricity, which coursed through the sailor's body. The man froze, paralyzed by the current. Although it wasn't strong enough to kill him outright, it left him utterly defenseless. A moment later, a blade pierced through his chest, ending his life.

"Magic stone equipment!"

At that moment, Sean's fury was replaced by unrestrained greed. He no longer cared about the lives of his men—his focus was entirely on the iron rod in Ethan's hands, crackling with electric light.