Multiverse Drift

"Am I really this lucky?"

Ethan examined the white magic stone in his hands for a long time, turning it over and scrutinizing it carefully. However, he couldn't determine whether it truly matched the type he was hoping for. Despite his doubts, the sheer magical fluctuations emanating from it filled him with cautious optimism.

"Even though I know good luck doesn't last forever… I really hope this streak holds out a little longer."

It was a shame, though, that his "cheat" ability didn't come with something like an attribute panel or stats screen. If it did, he might've been able to measure his luck directly or at least figure out its grade.

Placing the magic stone securely on him, Ethan began to assess his overall gains from this expedition. Between the stone, the hidden mine, and the larger, faster Caravel—which he had named after its resemblance to Caravel sailing ships from his previous life, this trip had been far more rewarding than expected.

He felt confident that these finds would help him make significant strides in improving his strength.

"I still know too little about this world," Ethan admitted to himself. "I don't even fully understand how to grow stronger here."

As for his new ship, he decided there was no need to consider getting an even larger one for now. Operating a vessel of this size was already challenging alone, and unless he could recruit reliable crewmates, upgrading to anything bigger was completely out of the question.

His original boat, the smaller Goddess of Dawn, could probably be sold back to the guild, but he planned to keep the name for his new vessel.

And then there was the question of the ore. Would it be possible to craft something useful from it? Or would it be better to simply exchange it for finished products? Ethan didn't even know what kind of ore he had collected, let alone what it could be used for.

"I wonder… does this world have things like cannons or steam engines?"

From what he had observed, this world seemed to still be in the age of sailing ships powered by wind and manpower. He hadn't come across any steam-driven vessels or other mechanical propulsion systems.

"Then again, with something like magic stones around, maybe they've developed magic-powered cannons or engines instead."

Recalling the magic stone-fueled stove he had seen before, Ethan felt his guess wasn't far off.

"If that's the case, will I need to start collecting all sorts of rare materials and studying magic stone technology?"

As his thoughts wandered toward the future, Ethan began tying his original boat to the new Caravel using several thick ropes. He let the larger ship tow the smaller one along.

With the cargo hold now packed with heavy ore, the Caravel's speed was noticeably reduced. While the ship should've been much faster than his original boat, the added weight made its pace slower than before.

"Thankfully, I've got plenty of food, and I can make clean water on my own. I'll just take my time."

The slower pace gave Ethan the opportunity to focus on consolidating what he had learned during his time on the island.

Life on the ship soon fell back into its usual rhythm.

Every morning, Ethan would wake up and prepare breakfast. After eating, he would rest briefly before practicing swordsmanship. At midday, when the sun was high, he would read, he still had a stack of books he had brought with him. His mental strength had steadily grown over time, and with it, his reading speed had increased significantly.

For example, he had already finished the thick pile of textbooks given to him by the Ancient One.

"Choosing the path of a mage really comes with some unexpected perks," Ethan mused with a sense of satisfaction.

With his space-time Orb, he could sense spatial energy and travel between different planes. Based on his experience in the Marvel world, he figured similar worlds would likely appear again in the future.

"All of this comes down to my choice to train spiritual energy as a mage," Ethan reflected. "If I'd chosen the warrior path and focused on physical strength instead, I would've run into endless problems just trying to communicate."

He also remembered that there were spells that allowed one to quickly master a foreign language. If he ever ended up in a world like Diablo or Warcraft, where the languages weren't Earth-based, those spells would save him a lot of trouble.

Of course, that would only be an option after his strength improved significantly, he'd need to become a full-fledged mage first. For now, he could only work toward that goal one step at a time, though there was still so much he needed to learn.

After his midday reading session, Ethan would eat some fruit to replenish his energy. Afternoons were reserved for light exercises to consolidate his morning training. Depending on his mood, he might also catch some seafood for dinner or the next day's breakfast.

As evening approached and the sun dipped below the horizon, Ethan would anchor the ship for the night. Without a crew to take shifts, he avoided sailing after dark for safety reasons.

Dinner marked the final meal of the day, after which Ethan would begin his spiritual power training. This nightly practice would continue late into the night before he finally went to sleep.

His schedule was set in stone, with only occasional interruptions for minor tasks like airing out his books to prevent mildew or maintaining his weapons and armor.

Whenever he maintained his equipment, he couldn't help but think back to the novels he used to read in his previous life.

"The protagonists in those stories never bothered to maintain their gear. A gun stays brand new after thousands of rounds without so much as a cleaning. And swords? They're either divine artifacts or legendary weapons crafted by master smiths, and somehow they're still pristine after years of neglect."

"I, on the other hand, have a pile of equipment that all needs cleaning and maintenance. It's such a hassle to take care of it all."

Despite his complaints, Ethan handled his gear with utmost care. He knew these items were his lifeline, and his survival depended on them. As much as he grumbled about the effort, he was meticulous in his work, ensuring every weapon and piece of armor was in top condition. Damaged equipment could mean the difference between life and death.

In truth, Ethan's habit of talking to himself was born from the crushing loneliness of life at sea. With no one to speak to for extended periods, he feared that his ability to hold a conversation might deteriorate over time. Whenever the opportunity arose, he would eagerly take it just to keep his mind sharp.

Occasionally, the isolation made him realize how dire his situation was. If things went on like this, he'd either lose his mind or become completely numb. The solution was obvious, he needed to find a partner, someone to share this journey with.

"But… finding the right partner isn't that simple, is it?"

Trustworthiness aside, could he even share his secrets with them? What if they learned about his ability to travel between planes? Could they be trusted with that knowledge? Ethan wasn't inherently distrustful, but recent events had reminded him of the dangers of misplaced faith.

"Maybe… I should look for companions in the worlds I've already traveled to?"

The advantage of this plan was clear. If he brought someone along from another world, the secret of his ability would already be out. Additionally, he could carefully choose individuals with proven character from familiar settings. At least then, he'd have a better idea of who could be trusted not to stab him in the back.

He couldn't help but recall the countless plane-travel novels he had read in his previous life. Recruiting allies from other worlds was practically a staple of the genre. Back then, he used to imagine what he would do if he ever gained a similar ability, he'd fantasized about "recruiting" a few likable characters and building a team.

"I wonder if this thing can actually bring people back with me," he murmured, glancing at the time-space pointer.

He remembered the conditions for bringing objects between planes. Did bringing a person work the same way? Did he need to "pick them up" in a specific manner?

Curious, Ethan summoned the time-space Orb and poured his mental power into it, hoping to uncover more of its secrets.

When he first activated the device, the burst of spatial energy had injected basic instructions into his mind, teaching him how to use it. Back then, his mental strength had been far weaker, likely limiting the amount of information he could process. Now that he was stronger, perhaps he could unlock more knowledge.

Unfortunately, no matter how he directed his mental power into the Orb, whether gently or forcefully—the device remained silent. The only visible effect was that the pointer's form seemed to stabilize slightly under his influence. Beyond that, it gave him nothing.

"Do I really have to figure this out myself?" he muttered, feeling a pang of frustration.

Just as he was about to give up, he noticed something strange. The orb's display wasn't searching as it usually did. Instead, it showed an arrow—a clear direction.

"Spatial energy?" Ethan guessed at first, but something felt off.

He realized the arrow wasn't just signaling the presence of energy; it was pointing somewhere specific, toward the left side of his ship. As the vessel continued to move forward, the Orb subtly adjusted, maintaining its focus on the same target.

"Not too far away?"

Excitement surged through him. Ethan quickly adjusted the ship's course, steering toward the direction indicated by the pointer.

"That's right! There's something I've been meaning to figure out."

A question had lingered in his mind ever since he first began traveling between worlds: did time in this world run parallel to the other planes he visited, or did it flow differently?

He had considered this before but had never been able to test it. Now, thanks to scavenging the bandits' supplies, he had an hourglass on hand, something he could use to measure the passage of time in this world while he was away.

"One day might not be enough to draw a conclusion… but at least I'll know if time here stops completely or keeps moving."

After donning his gear, Ethan double-checked his preparations. He even secured several bottles of health potions in his belt pouch, just in case. Satisfied after confirming everything multiple times, he set the hourglass on the deck, watching as the sand began to flow.

Taking a few steps back, he activated the time-space teleportation circle.

"I wonder what kind of world I'll end up in this time."