Ethan's Fantasy-Drift

After docking the boat, Ethan surveyed the beach carefully. Initially, he considered setting up camp directly on the sand near the shoreline, but after some thought, he realized it wasn't a practical idea. The rising tide could easily submerge his hard-built resting spot, forcing him to move further inland.

"This looks better," he muttered to himself, stopping at a small dirt slope farther from the water.

The spot had a few clear advantages: it wasn't too close to the woods, reducing the risk of being ambushed by anything lurking in the trees, and its slightly elevated position ensured it wouldn't be flooded by high tide.

"Now I just need to build a shelter," Ethan said, glancing up at the sky.

Dark clouds had crept in while he worked, and it looked like it might start raining at any moment. If he couldn't finish a shelter quickly, he'd have no choice but to retreat to the boat for the night. But after so many days at sea, Ethan craved a good night's sleep on solid ground. Exploring the island could wait, he needed to deal with the immediate concern of staying dry.

"Good thing I learned how to make tents with simple materials in the Diablo world," Ethan said with a wry smile.

With his current strength, he wasn't capable of chopping down large trees or building a proper wooden house from scratch. His best option was to gather sturdy branches, about as thick as his wrist at most—along with some large leaves for the roof. He stripped bark from the branches and twisted it into makeshift rope, using it to bind everything together into a crude but functional tent.

After hours of back-and-forth adjustments, Ethan stepped back and assessed his work. The tent was oddly shaped and far from elegant, but it would serve its purpose.

"Well, it's not pretty, but it'll keep the rain out," he said, patting the side of the tent.

The structure held firm under his touch, and Ethan nodded in satisfaction. "At least it won't blow away in the wind."

Crawling inside, Ethan stretched out on a "bed" made from large leaves and began planning his exploration of the island.

"I'll start with a quick survey of the perimeter," he decided.

His ideal plan was to systematically map out the island, starting at the edges and working inward in ever-tightening circles. That way, he wouldn't miss anything and would maximize his chances of finding a magic stone.

But he also knew this approach might not be practical. It would take too much time, and many adventurers believed the most valuable resources were often located near the center of an island.

"If that were always true, though, everyone would know about it," Ethan reasoned. "Wood would've mentioned it, or the guild would've made it common knowledge."

He decided on a compromise: he'd divide the island into sectors, establish key reference points in each direction, and focus on one sector at a time.

"It's slower than heading straight for the center, but at least it's manageable," Ethan thought.

The work ahead seemed daunting, and Ethan couldn't help but think how much easier it would be if he had a partner.

"Too bad finding a reliable teammate isn't exactly easy in my situation," he sighed.

The loneliness of solo adventuring was starting to get to him. When he first set out to sea, he hadn't minded being alone, he'd spent most of his life surrounded by people and was eager for independence. But now, after working alongside Isendra and Xul, Ethan had grown accustomed to having allies by his side. The return to solitude felt stifling.

As the rain began to fall, the rhythmic sound on the leaves above lulled him into an uneasy sleep. In his dreams, Ethan found himself aboard a grand ship filled with lively companions. Together, they laughed, explored uncharted waters, and eventually discovered the fabled Endless Land.

When Ethan awoke, sunlight was streaming into the tent. The rain had stopped, and the air smelled fresh and clean.

Stretching and stepping outside, Ethan used the rainwater he'd collected the night before to wash his face. The vivid memory of his dream lingered in his mind, but one detail irked him.

"Why were there only men on the boat?" he muttered in frustration. "Not even one girl? What kind of dream is that?"

Shaking his head, Ethan threw a leaf he'd used as a washcloth onto the ground and began suiting up.

The light armor Charsi had given him felt stiff after days of disuse. When he first returned to the Sea of Calm, Ethan had worn it frequently, but he'd soon grown tired of its discomfort. Still, it was better to be prepared.

As he buckled the armor into place, he finally understood why medieval knights wore tunics and cloaks over their armor.

"I always thought the cloaks were just for show," he mused, grimacing as the metal plates absorbed the morning sunlight. Without a barrier, the armor would turn into a walking oven in warmer weather.

In winter, the metal would absorb the chill from the cold air, turning into a mobile freezer. Without a thick cloak to cover it, wearing armor in such conditions would be unbearable.

Charsi's armor gift, while excellent, lacked such accessories. Ethan quickly realized how uncomfortable it was after only a short time wearing it. In the end, he had to take it off during his voyages.

But today, he wore it anyway. He had no idea what dangers lurked on this small island, and it was better to be fully equipped than caught unprepared. Moreover, once he entered the densely forested areas of the island, the canopy of leaves would block most direct sunlight, preventing the armor from heating up like an oven.

"Maybe I should consider engraving a temperature-regulating magic circle on this thing," Ethan muttered as he adjusted his route, sticking to shaded paths to minimize the heat radiating from the armor.

Fortunately, the island wasn't particularly large, and Ethan's endurance and walking stamina were solid. He managed to circle the entire perimeter in just half a day and returned to his camp in the late afternoon.

"The island's small enough. Since there's still time before dark, I can start exploring the forest," Ethan decided, glancing toward the lush greenery.

He also needed to gather food. Along the way, he had noticed several fruit trees bearing a unique kind of fruit he recognized. It was one of the resources he had seen at the Adventurer's Guild during his early days at State Island.

The fruit, aptly named fruta, was a staple for sailors and adventurers in this world. It resembled a small coconut, with a blue-green shell that was surprisingly fragile. Inside was a hollow core filled with fragrant, plant-infused water.

This water-rich fruit was a key survival resource for adventurers. Unlike fresh water, which could quickly spoil without a purification magic stone, fruta could be stored for a long time without degrading. It also seemed to contain essential vitamins, sparing adventurers from the scurvy-like ailments that plagued sailors in Ethan's previous world.

Ethan usually relied on his water-creation spell, so he hadn't brought much fruta with him. But now, he realized this island had a bounty of them. Enough, in fact, to fill his ship's cargo hold.

"I wonder what else this island has to offer," Ethan murmured, eyeing the forest again.

Over the next few days, Ethan fell into a routine. Every morning, he would wash up, eat, and then head out to explore the island, sticking to his planned sector-by-sector approach. Along the way, he gathered fruits and other familiar foods, carefully sampling any unknown plants to bring back for identification at the guild later.

"It was a mistake not to buy a field guide to edible plants," Ethan muttered one afternoon as he studied an unfamiliar berry. "Would've made things so much easier."

Ethan was still inexperienced in many areas. While he was steadily adapting to this world's unique rules, he sometimes overlooked practical details. Still, he took care to learn from each mistake, making a mental note to avoid similar oversights in the future.

As the days passed, his exploration brought him closer to the island's center. However, the closer he got, the less remarkable the landscape became. The heart of the island was dominated by a small, barren dirt slope. In stark contrast to the lush greenery around it, this area was devoid of grass or any visible life.

Ethan had visited this spot several times but hadn't found anything noteworthy.

"Could it be underground?" he wondered, frowning at the lifeless soil.

If so, it would be a problem. Ethan hadn't brought any digging tools, and using his sword as a makeshift shovel felt like sacrilege. He could already imagine Kasha appearing across dimensions to scold him for abusing a fine weapon.

As he debated whether to start digging or explore other areas first, a sound broke through the quiet: footsteps, coming from the woods ahead.

Ethan tensed, instinctively lowering his body and scanning the direction of the noise. Moments later, a small group of people emerged from the trees.

Among them was a face Ethan immediately recognized—Rodney.

Of all people, it had to be him.

Rodney was one of the sailors Ethan had rescued during his first sea voyage. But Rodney's suspicious behavior back on State Island had prompted Ethan to leave earlier than planned, sensing that the man bore him ill will.

And now, here he was, grinning like a predator that had cornered its prey.

"Well, well, what are the odds?" Rodney sneered. "Fancy bumping into you here, kid. Today's your unlucky day!"

Rodney turned to a larger man standing beside him, clearly the leader of the group and jabbed a finger in Ethan's direction.

"Captain, that's him! He's the one who got the combat magic stone from Wood!"