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

Although Ethan didn't care whether he was still considered human, he didn't want to become a monster, at least not in appearance.

From the moment he stepped onto the path of a mage, he knew he would gradually drift away from the category of "human." He wasn't sure what he would eventually become, but externally, he still hoped to look "normal." If the cost of power was turning into a monster, even with all the potential benefits, he might still choose to abandon that path and opt for another, even if it was more troublesome.

"It's necessary to avoid side effects and conflicts as much as possible. Even if the effects are weakened, it's still acceptable."

Ethan had too many goals—messy, scattered, and drawn from various worlds. He wasn't sure how all these elements would blend. Some worlds he hadn't even visited yet, and could only make plans based on the resources currently at his disposal.

After thinking about it all night, when he came to his senses, the sun had already risen above the sea. Reclining on the chair, Ethan quietly waited for the sky to brighten, then got up, washed up briefly, and sat down on the wooden chair outside, waiting for Diana to arrive.

He knew Diana wouldn't be late. She had been looking forward to this day ever since she first learned of her mission.

Now that she could finally leave Paradise Island and had clues about Ares' whereabouts, every extra minute of waiting was torment for her.

Just as Ethan expected, the moment the sky began to brighten, Diana appeared before him.

Seeing Ethan sitting there as if he'd been waiting for her, Diana couldn't help but wonder how long he had been there.

"Your shirt is wet with dew."

Mornings on Paradise Island were very humid. Without a fire to warm him, much of Ethan's clothing was soaked with dew. Originally, he intended to act like some wise expert awaiting her arrival, but that plan was unintentionally foiled.

"Your powers of observation have improved."

A few years ago, Diana wouldn't have noticed such details. But as she aged, her personality grew calmer, and her abilities sharpened. She now picked up on many things she would've missed before.

"So, this so-called test won't be difficult for me at all."

She was confident—confident that she could find Ares, defeat him, and destroy him. The greatest threat to Paradise Island, and the challenge fated for her to overcome.

Ethan studied Diana from head to toe. At that moment, she looked quite different from usual. Her typically tied-up hair was loose, and she wore the familiar red-gold armor and matching headgear.

"You're not planning to head out dressed like that, are you?"

"What?" Diana looked down at herself, then spun around in front of Ethan. "What's wrong with this outfit?"

She thought the armor was great—offering solid defense, comfortable to wear, and with no restrictions on movement. She didn't see the issue.

"The outside world is very different from Paradise Island. If you walk around in public dressed like this, you'll definitely draw a crowd."

Logan and Steve had also gotten up and stepped outside. Laura was already awake, but had only come out after Logan caught her and made her wash her face and brush her teeth.

"Ethan's right. If you wear that… you'll really stand out," Steve added. It was clear to him that people on Paradise Island lived in seclusion, almost like a tribe of 'uncivilized' natives. Ethan and Logan, however, seemed more accustomed to the outside world. While they understood magic and mystical techniques, they still lived like modern people.

What Steve didn't know was that, in Ethan's eyes, he was also a 'native'. At most, Steve was a man born in modern times who had lived in a bygone era. Unless he lived another hundred years, he'd never be a true contemporary to Ethan.

"Then what should I wear?"

Diana had no idea what kind of clothes were suitable for the outside world, so she hoped Ethan could offer a suggestion. But this gave Ethan a headache.

"I've got a few changes of clothes with me, but I'm not sure if they'll fit you properly."

Diana was tall and strong, so he didn't need to worry about pant length. But the spare clothes he had were also from a different era, and would attract attention just the same.

"Try them on first."

He pulled out a few T-shirts and jeans, plus a training outfit, and had Diana try them one by one. In the end, they discovered that Diana was eye-catching no matter what she wore—especially the training uniform. If you handed her a firearm…

"This one's nice. It's comfortable and easy to move around in."

To her, it was just a comfortable outfit. But Ethan vetoed it. It was too conspicuous. Eventually, Diana settled on a plain shirt and jeans. Ethan also gave her a pair of black-rimmed glasses to try and tone down her stunning appearance.

"This looks... at least less attention-grabbing."

Logan and Steve agreed. Jeans weren't rare in this era, and no one would find Diana's outfit particularly unusual.

Diana adjusted her shirt and pants. She was tall and well-built, not skinny like a model, so men's clothing still felt a bit loose on her. She had never worn glasses before either, and found the sensation of something on her face unfamiliar.

"Do I have to wear these?"

"Wear them. These glasses have some extra functions. You might need them later."

"What functions?"

The glasses were, of course, from Tony Stark—one of the black-tech gadgets from Ethan's multifunctional box. Ethan had more than one pair, all with similar functions but slightly different appearances for use in different situations.

In addition to detecting various forms of energy and reactions, they also enabled short-range communication. Ethan, who wore a similar pair, could also 'data sync' with Diana and monitor her condition through his own glasses.

"They're very convenient."

Ethan didn't hide this from Steve, who was shocked to learn that such unassuming glasses had so many functions.

"Is this... something made with magic?"

Ethan glanced back at Steve and gave him an answer that shattered his expectations: "No, it's a tech product." 

While it incorporated some magical concepts, Tony had applied many high-tech innovations—essentially magical black-tech. But fundamentally, it was still a product of technology.

"This... technology has gotten that advanced?"

Steve wasn't an expert on these things. He was just shocked at how far technology had come, and Ethan had no intention of explaining further.

After settling the clothing issue, what Steve cared most about wasn't high-tech but how they were going to get to London.

When the group finished packing and arrived at the dock on Paradise Island, Steve stared in disbelief at the small sailboat before them.

"This one?"

Diana didn't understand the issue and looked at Steve, puzzled.

Logan rubbed his forehead and muttered to Ethan, "Why are we still using a sailboat? And such a tiny one at that?"

Ethan's Goddess of Dawn was a different matter. Though a sailboat, it had a large displacement and was stable on the sea. It had enough space onboard for a comfortable voyage.

But this? Barely ten meters long from bow to stern, with just one mast, and some food and water piled onboard. Space was tight. Just finding somewhere to lie down would be a struggle, let alone room to move.

"Sailing to London on this thing… looks like it's going to be rough."

Even Ethan felt his eyelid twitch. It wasn't that he couldn't handle hardship—he had, many times. But he had worked hard to improve his strength and save up resources to avoid suffering.

Yet now, after all that effort, he found himself roughing it again. He couldn't help but feel annoyed.

"Bear with it!"

Ethan glanced off into the distance. Although nothing looked unusual from here, he knew Hippolyta was hiding somewhere nearby, watching Diana.

When the ropes were untied and the sail unfurled, the boat slowly drifted away from the small dock. Diana, standing at the stern, also looked toward that direction. Ethan knew she had spotted her mother.

Logan had plenty of experience. Even if he noticed, he wouldn't show it especially since he wasn't that familiar with Diana. Laura and Auriel obediently found a corner to sit in. Ethan knew Diana didn't need comforting, Wonder Woman was stronger than most.

Steve was the busiest, trying to use a compass and map to determine their location, but after a long time, he got nowhere.

Seeing Steve grow increasingly frustrated, Ethan reminded him, "You won't be able to get your bearings until we leave the enchanted zone around Paradise Island."

"Enchanted?"

Ethan pointed into the distance. "Remember anything strange when your plane crashed?"

"Something strange?"

"You'll see soon enough."

Sure enough, it wasn't long before Steve noticed something unusual. About a thousand meters from the island, they passed through what felt like a transparent wall.

Even if that sensation could've been chalked up to imagination, when the bright skies suddenly turned overcast, even the densest person would realize something was off.

Especially when Steve looked back and saw that Paradise Island had vanished completely. There was nothing but open sea behind them.

(To be continued.)

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