Drift Of The Multiverse: [Marvel] [Resident Evil] [DC] [Bleach] [DB] Chapter 174

"Adventurer?"

Logan and Ethan stood together on the poop deck. Without climbing the mast, the poop deck was generally the highest point on a sailboat and offered the widest view—this was why the console and steering wheel were located there.

"Of course."

Ethan was holding a high-powered telescope, which allowed him to better observe the situation. But even with a specialized high-powered telescope, he still couldn't see clearly at such a distance. All he could tell was that the other party was using a sailboat of similar tonnage and structure. For more details, they'd have to wait until the ship got closer.

"In this world, what's the relationship like between people who are also sailing adventurers...?"

Logan was a little curious. Most of what he had learned from Ethan so far had been about the environnt of this world, followed by how to operate and sail a sailboat. Until now, he hadn't seen any other adventurers and didn't know how they usually interacted.

"Generally, it doesn't matter much. But if two parties discover the sa island at the sa ti, they beco competitors."

Ethan continued watching through the telescope. At this mont, the sun's angle was just right, and the other ship was approaching. He could see flashes of reflected light, which ant soone aboard the other ship was also using a telescope to observe them.

"The flash is coming from the top of the sail, soone is looking from the top of the mast. It's likely they spotted us a while ago."

Adventurers in this sea were highly wary of each other. If they noticed another adventurer and still approached without hesitation, they were either desperate, perhaps running low on supplies and having no choice—or confident in their own strength, certain they could handle any competition.

Logan listened as Ethan explained and ford a clear idea. Most of the ti, adventurers in this world competed against one another. Even if the resources on an island were enough for two or more teams, everyone still wanted to monopolize the gains, even if they couldn't carry everything away.

"So, even in another world, humans are still the sa."

"That's right."

"Until a consensus is reached, treat them as enemies. And even after one is reached, you still have to maintain a considerable degree of vigilance."

Ethan put down the telescope and stood on the poop deck, looking into the distance. He didn't adopt a battle stance, but Logan knew Ethan was already prepared. From where he stood, Ethan could activate the Goddess of Dawn at any mont.

No matter what, he couldn't allow the Goddess of Dawn to remain stationary, passively hoping the other side had no hostile intent. If they continued to approach in a straight line, Ethan would have to start the ship, whether it was a sailboat or a warship, a motionless vessel was just a floating coffin.

"Has the other side slowed down?"

Ethan raised the telescope again and saw that the other ship was adjusting its sails and slightly altering course. They were no longer heading straight in, which might have been a sign of goodwill?

Even so, Ethan didn't lower his guard. He had already positioned himself in front of the console, and Logan had rushed to the deck to retract the springboard that had been set up.

Now Ethan only needed to use the console to raise the anchor and hoist the sails, and the Goddess of Dawn could instantly switch from stationary to moving. The current wind direction was also favorable, he could quickly accelerate and avoid a disadvantageous position in combat.

"They're gradually slowing down."

Ethan kept a close watch on every movent. As the two sides drew closer, he could now see several people standing on the other ship's bow through the telescope—they were also observing them.

"It doesn't look like the worst-case scenario."

The worst case would be an imdiate attack, no words exchanged, just a direct assault. That kind of situation would only end when one side was completely eliminated.

The current behavior ant the other party wasn't looking to initiate conflict. Whether they were trying to intimidate or had other intentions, at the very least, they weren't choosing to resolve the encounter with force.

"This ans they're not confident they can win, so their combat strength... is probably comparable to ours."

In a naval conflict, a ship's combat capabilities were the first priority. From appearances, the opposing ship was on equal footing.

With similar displacent and no cannons mounted on the upper deck, both ships seed evenly matched—neither held a definitive advantage in a fight.

"Could it be that our side looks too undermanned, making them think we're easy to handle?"

That possibility couldn't be ignored. When two ships looked evenly matched and actual strength was uncertain, manpower beca another factor in assessing combat ability. Ethan didn't have many people on board. In so places, that might make him look like an easy target, but on a route like this one—called the Suicide Route...

"It might actually make them wary?"

"Exactly."

Ethan observed as the other ship continued to slow down. As they got even closer, he could clearly see the people on the opposite deck through the telescope. He noticed the captain appeared to be a young man.

Around twenty-eight years old, a little older than Ethan. Most of the crew were also young, except for a middle-aged man in his forties standing beside the captain. The two seed to be discussing sothing.

When the young man noticed Ethan watching him, he actually greeted Ethan politely.

"Uh... maybe they don't have hostile intent?"

Logan had also seen the gesture, which seed to be a sign of goodwill. While he wouldn't naively assu they were friends, polite people were always easier to get along with.

Ethan responded politely as well, and reminded them through gestures that they needed to continue slowing down if they wanted to approach—otherwise, they would be treated as hostile.

This was a simple and commonly recognized sign language used by sailors. All adventurers in this sea region understood it. Ethan had learned it from Philip, and this was the first ti he had officially used it.

As soon as Ethan signaled, the other party imdiately began slowing down. Although the ship was still moving, it was crawling across the water like a turtle. If they tried to attack now, they'd be completely vulnerable to artillery fire from the Goddess of Dawn.

If they wanted a mutual-destruction battle, sure, they could open fire but no one would willingly give up their speed and initiative just to get close to the enemy. So at this point, it was basically confird they didn't want an ard conflict.

Because the other party showed goodwill, Ethan directly shouted a warning when their ship got close enough.

"This is Ethan of the Goddess of Dawn. I'd like to remind our new friends that this island possesses a strange power that interferes with perception, causing people to fall into illusions without realizing it, so don't board it casually."

Ethan could see that so people on the opposite ship were confused by his warning. So didn't seem to believe it, but the young man—presumably the captain—still gestured a polite thank-you to Ethan. Under his command, the ship resud standard operations and slightly adjusted course to approach the Goddess of Dawn.

"We're docking next to your ship. Please don't misunderstand our actions."

As the distance between them shrank, they could now communicate by shouting. The young captain called out directly, then began guiding his ship to dock just outside the Goddess of Dawn, stopping alongside it.

"Their handling is really good."

The two ships were docked very close together, and since they were the sa size, they could cross back and forth with just a springboard. Yet during docking, the other ship didn't touch the Goddess of Dawn at all.

Given the ages of the crew and their captain, mostly in their twenties, it probably wasn't experience that gave them this precision. This had to be a team of talented adventurers.

And being able to gather such skilled sailors ant the captain himself was not ordinary. He was worth paying attention to.

Ethan had already walked to the deck ahead of ti, quietly waiting for the young captain to board his ship.

"Welco aboard the Goddess of Dawn. I'm Captain Ethan, and this is First Mate Logan."

Logan didn't particularly care for the title of first mate, but there was no point arguing with Ethan at this mont. So he accepted it and greeted the young man.

"Hello, Captain Ethan of the Goddess of Dawn. I'm Cleo, captain of the Eternal, and this is my first mate, Bob." Cleo had a very pleasant deanor and a sunny smile. He reminded Ethan of Arthur. At a glance, the two looked quite similar, but Ethan could sense that Cleo and Arthur had very different personalities.

As Ethan's spiritual power improved, he noticed he wasn't just improving in magic. Sotis, he could pick up on soone's aura or presence with just a simple feeling.

This wasn't a magician's ability. Even ordinary people feel uncomfortable around a bloodthirsty murderer, or relaxed around kind, respectable older people. Ethan's situation was just a heightened version of that perception.

However, this sense could only be used as a reference, it couldn't determine whether soone was friend or foe. The specifics would have to be figured out through further contact.

For now, they had enough ti to get to know each other.

(To be continued.)

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