DOTM: Chapter 230/231

Chapter 230: Brent's Expedition
"You can count me in."

Just as Ethan expressed his desire to join, another person in the room stood up. Compared to the others, this man appeared quite unremarkable. His appearance was so plain that he would easily blend into any crowd.

He was of average height, about the same as Ethan. There was nothing particularly striking about him, yet he had received Brent's invitation and was standing here, which proved he was a capable adventurer. Because of that, Ethan didn't underestimate him. Instead, he observed him for a moment out of curiosity, wondering if there was anything special about this adventurer.

Noticing Ethan's gaze, the man didn't react with displeasure. He simply returned a friendly smile before continuing to speak with Brent.

"I need to go back and make arrangements for the crew under my command. I'm not sure how many will stay."

By "arrangements," he meant filtering out those unwilling to join the expedition, then paying them a severance fee or something similar.

In reality, captains within an adventuring team held enough authority that they could often decide the next plan of action without consulting the crew.

However, when faced with such clear and significant danger, more considerate captains would inform their crew in advance, explain the risks involved, and let them decide whether to follow or leave.

Those who chose to leave were essentially withdrawing from the team. Since adventuring teams typically distributed their earnings upon return, any severance payout was entirely up to the captain's personal sense of responsibility and wasn't mandated by any rule.

It was clear these two captains were planning to make arrangements for their teams, showing that they were both kind-hearted and valued their subordinates.

"If it's too difficult, you don't have to agree."

"I just think that some things really do need someone to deal with them. If this turns into a huge problem, and no one steps up, it could become a disaster for every adventurer in this region."

The plain-looking middle-aged captain finally shared his thoughts.

"It's best to report it to the guild. If we can't handle it ourselves, the guild will hopefully recognize the danger and recruit powerful adventurers to solve it."

"Thank you for the reminder, Captain Bruno." In fact, Bruno assumed Brent had already reported it, but Brent didn't act as though he had given it much thought.

Bruno and Brent nodded to each other. After saying goodbye to Ethan, Bruno left.

The remaining few people also made their decisions. In the end, none of them agreed to join Brent's temporary expedition team due to various difficulties.

One captain's ship had been severely damaged in their last adventure. It barely made it back and was now completely scrapped. Although he had ordered a new ship, it would be a while before it was ready. Naturally, Brent couldn't wait that long.

Brent expressed his understanding. It was an unavoidable situation and had nothing to do with a lack of willingness to help.

Another adventurer had lost many crew members recently. With only newly recruited sailors left, he couldn't risk such a dangerous operation. Relying on an unfamiliar crew for something this dangerous introduced too many uncertainties.

Even if the captain himself were willing, Brent wouldn't allow him to participate. In the end, they could only part ways.

One by one, everyone left until only Ethan remained. He chatted with Brent a while longer and learned more about what Brent had seen.

"The ocean currents and waves in that area have gotten much more dangerous. They're almost as bad as those in the latter part of the sea. My ship had already been sailing for a while and was in poor condition. In that kind of environment, I didn't dare go in too deep. I could only observe from the edges."

"Did you see anything?"

"There might be an island."

"Might be?"

That word "might" wasn't very reassuring. Was Brent unable to confirm if it was really an island?

"The area was so large that from a distance, I even suspected I was looking at a stretch of endless land."

Ethan was shocked. How big would an island have to be for someone to mistake it for a continent from afar? Regardless, it was definitely much larger than the central island. For such a massive island to suddenly appear on their route…

"Is the entire route blocked?"

"I'm not sure. I tried to go around it, but it didn't work."

"It didn't work? Were you attacked?"

"No. It's just that the ship was in poor condition at the time." Brent shook his head and carefully recalled the details. "Also, the sea conditions were especially bad, so I had to turn back."

After a few more questions, Ethan also bid Brent farewell.

He knew Brent would be staying for a while. Aside from waiting for replies from other captains, he also wanted to give them time to prepare.

Many people, like Ethan, had just returned to the island. Their ships needed repairs, supplies had to be restocked, and some even needed to recruit new crew. Without enough time, there was no way to set sail again.

After leaving Brent's rented residence, Ethan looked around the street again. The scattered adventurers were gone. He was the last captain to leave, and only Selene was still waiting for him.

"What about Logan?"

"Since you never came out, he took Laura back first."

Ethan looked up at the sky. The entire sky had turned yellow. It wouldn't be long before nightfall.

"Let's go back."

Selene didn't ask how it went. She was enjoying her new life and didn't care much about what came next.

"Have you eaten?"

"I drank the artificial blood you made this morning."

It was clear Selene didn't like the stuff. Even mentioning it made her frown. If she didn't need it to survive, she wouldn't even want to look at it.

"I told you, I'll figure out a way to adjust your physique so it no longer rejects normal food. Just hang in there for now. I'll try to solve this soon."

Selene hadn't expected Ethan's earlier words to be serious. But now it seemed he really intended to help her. Whether or not it was possible, she didn't know.

"It's not that hard."

As if sensing her thoughts, Ethan almost patted his chest to reassure her.

"Thanks."

The two didn't continue the conversation and quietly returned to their residence.

The place Ethan had rented wasn't large, but each room was fully equipped and had its own yard—enough for the entire team.

Since he hadn't eaten, Ethan bought some simple food on the way back, filled his stomach, and went to his room.

What he needed to do was, of course, prepare a pool of warm water, add a drop of potion, and soak in it overnight.

While Ethan was getting everything ready, someone knocked on his door.

"Logan?"

Everyone in the building was part of his team. The only ones who'd come to him would be his own crew. Logan's visit wasn't surprising—he was here to stand guard.

"All set?"

Since Diana left, Logan had voluntarily taken on the role of guard for safety reasons. At the moment, he was the only one suitable for it.

Laura was still a child. Loki was the one they needed to guard against. Selene, being new to the team, couldn't be entrusted with this role either.

If Loki wanted to harm Ethan, Selene wouldn't be able to stop him at all—not that Logan could either. But with his immortality, Logan could at least buy Ethan some time.

"I knew you'd be ready soon."

Logan nodded, then placed a chair at the intersection between the bathroom and the room door, allowing him to keep an eye on both directions.

He could've sat right at the bathroom door, but he had no interest in Ethan's body, nor in watching the entire process. As for what might happen to Ethan…

After so many days of continuous strengthening, the likelihood of something going wrong was very low. So his main duty was to guard the front door.

"Mind if I smoke a cigar?"

"Do whatever you want."

Ethan didn't mind. Logan had already pulled out a cigar, sat down, and rested his feet on a cabinet nearby, fully taking advantage of his height.

Logan's behavior might seem too relaxed, even careless. If someone unfamiliar saw him, they'd probably be annoyed.

But Ethan knew that if anything actually happened, Logan would be more reliable than any professional bodyguard. Being immortal, he could afford to be relaxed. He had endured countless serious injuries, and although he never truly died, he came close often enough. The pain was still very real.

Although Ethan had never experienced it himself, no sane person would enjoy that sensation. Logan was definitely mentally sound, so there was no way he liked dying again and again.

"I just have one request."

Just as Ethan was about to lie down in the pool, Logan spoke from outside.

"What?"

"When you come out, please make sure you're dressed."

"..."

Ethan silently lowered himself into the pool. Before submerging his head, he gave Logan a very clear answer.

"Don't worry. I don't have the habit of showing off my body to others."

Especially when the other person is a man.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 231: Everyone's Strong Is Really Strong

Absorb, reinforce, and learn.

That's what Ethan and the others had been focusing on these past few days. As time went on, the duration Ethan needed to stay in the bath grew shorter with each session. Eventually, he began experimenting with higher doses, from one drop to two drops, and by now, he could add a substantial amount of strengthening potion at once.

"Is this the last point?"

As usual, Ethan pulled out the potion after preparing everything.

Logan took his place by the door, as he always did. The difference this time was that Loki, who had always been the subject of this vigilance, also showed up.

Loki had always known Ethan was watching him. He didn't show up earlier only because he was busy with his own matters. Now that his training had made some progress, he couldn't hold back his curiosity and came over.

The way he appeared was so abrupt that it nearly caused Logan to react violently.

"Oh, calm your claws. I'm not planning anything against him." Loki raised his hands to show he was 'harmless.' "Otherwise, I wouldn't show up in person like this."

Logan ignored Loki and turned to Ethan instead.

"It's his real body, not an illusion."

Because of the need to guard against Loki, Ethan had previously told Logan about Loki's abilities. The illusion magic that was nearly impossible to distinguish from reality was what gave Logan the biggest headache.

"I've proven to be a very trustworthy god during this time. You could trust me a bit more."

"If I didn't trust you at all, I would've kicked you out already." Ethan shook the small vial in his hand. "You interested in this?"

"A little." Loki admitted he came to see the potion. "Your recent changes have been pretty obvious. Even I couldn't ignore them."

Ethan's outward appearance hadn't changed much. His skin looked better, and his overall appearance had become more pleasant, but it was still the same face.

However, in Loki's eyes, the change inside Ethan was like night and day. If Ethan had once been a mere candle, now he was like a freshly lit bonfire. Though it wasn't yet at full blaze, the sheer amount of vibrant and active energy was impossible to miss.

"What do you think of my method?"

Loki thought for a moment and gave his assessment. "It's a good choice, but there's something odd about it. That's why I came to ask you directly."

"What's odd?"

Loki pointed to the potion. "If I'm not mistaken, this is made with the blood of a powerful god as the main ingredient, and the energy within it is divine power. But if you're using such potent energy to craft a potion, why has it only increased your strength by this much?"

That's what Loki couldn't figure out. In his view, with this kind of potion, Ethan should have at least reached the level of a 'demi-god' by now, even if it was a weaker demi-god. The changes in him should've been tremendous, not this minor.

Though Ethan had gone from a candle to a bonfire in Loki's eyes, he should have become a volcano.

"That's because I didn't directly use the potion to boost my power. I used it to break my upper limit."

Loki understood Ethan's intention. He was using the potion to shatter the limits of humanity, break through his ceiling, and then build his power with his own strength.

"You've got a lot of confidence in yourself."

"I just want to be able to master every ounce of my strength." Ethan emphasized again, "Every ounce!"

Surprisingly, Loki didn't laugh. Instead, he looked very serious. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Do you think this will make you powerful?"

"At the very least, I won't have to worry about my power failing me when I need it or accidentally harming myself."

Loki completely understood what Ethan meant. He didn't know how to judge it, because Ethan's reasoning made sense. In fact, the training Loki was doing now had the same goal: mastering the power inside the Casket of Ancient Winters.

He just hadn't thought about it in the way Ethan described—controlling every last drop. He had been proud of his recent progress, but now, he felt like his drive didn't compare to that of a human mage.

"I hope you succeed."

As he finished speaking, Loki's body gradually faded away. When Logan saw this, he turned to Ethan with a clear message in his eyes: Didn't you say that was his real body?

"He swapped to a projection midway through."

Logan rubbed the bridge of his nose. "That's exactly why guys like him give me a headache. Thankfully, today's the last day."

Ethan smiled and didn't mention that this was only the first step of his strengthening. If he wanted to continue improving, he still needed to search for more materials to keep enhancing himself.

Now that he had this body, future enhancements wouldn't be as troublesome. For example, the T-virus could be used directly with minor adjustments. His current body wasn't strictly human anymore. The virus posed much less risk now, and he didn't have to worry about mutating into a zombie.

If he had used divine blood to fully strengthen himself from the start, the T-virus would no longer work on him, not even the beneficial effects.

So, in order to keep benefiting from external enhancements, he deliberately preserved and even enhanced the characteristics inherited from Alexander Corvinus and Michael. Ethan had chosen this method after thorough consideration: raise his potential ceiling while keeping the ability to accept future enhancements.

While soaking in the warm water, Ethan started thinking about what to do next.

The Goddess of Dawn had been undergoing repairs at the shipyard for a while. The maintenance would be done in a few days, and then the ship would be ready for another voyage.

Brent had remained in contact, having met with many captains in the meantime, but the outcome hadn't changed much. Only a few agreed to face the 'trouble' alongside Brent. Most adventurers didn't want to deal with something that had "nothing to do with them."

Cleo had come to visit too. He also knew what Brent intended to do. Though he wanted to participate, his first mate reported it to his father, and Cleo was forced to withdraw. He had to follow his father's plans for their next voyage.

One thing was certain—Cleo's next route would definitely not be toward the north.

Ethan stepped out of the bath after cleaning up, habitually glanced at the window, and saw that it was still dark outside. Dawn hadn't arrived yet.

This had become the norm. Even with increased doses toward the end of his strengthening, he no longer needed to soak for very long.

"It's over?"

"Yeah."

Ethan raised his arms in a flexing pose.

"Next, I need to rely on myself. Otherwise, no matter how much potential I have, it won't become real strength."

Logan smiled. He wasn't surprised that Ethan wanted to focus on training. What he was curious about was whether Ethan's lifespan had changed.

"If nothing unexpected happens, living a thousand or even eight hundred years shouldn't be a problem."

He wasn't entirely sure. Based on the divine blood enhancement alone, a lifespan of at least a thousand years seemed guaranteed. Adding the Corvinus blood made it almost certain that he had become an immortal species.

Not to mention the large amount of Spring of Life water he had. It could replenish his vitality. His maximum lifespan had also been expanded and reinforced. A thousand years was a conservative estimate.

"I'm pretty sure my appearance will stay at its peak for a long time."

That meant he'd continue looking about twenty-five. He wouldn't grow older. If he started to show signs of aging, it would mean his vitality was nearly exhausted and his life was approaching its end. Ethan didn't know when that would be.

"This is also the benefit of divine blood?"

"It's something I specifically chose."

In theory, the human body reaches peak condition around the age of twenty-five, both physically and mentally. There might be slight differences depending on individual constitution. After that, the body inevitably begins to decline. By thirty, the downturn becomes more obvious, and the body steadily deteriorates.

That's the normal pattern. Ethan chose this age not for some complicated reason, but simply because he liked how he looked at twenty-five.

He could use potions to look twenty or even eighteen again, but that would look too young, and being too youthful was often inconvenient.

"Looks like the only one on the ship who can still grow normally is Laura."

Laura was the only normal crew member on the Goddess of Dawn. Ethan was no longer normal. And when Laura grew up, her mutant genes would allow her to remain at peak condition for a long time. Considering the group she was surrounded by now, it was likely she'd become immortal too.

"My issues are resolved. What about yours?"

Ethan poured drinks for both himself and Logan. As he drank, he was also testing his body's changes in digestion.

"My issues? What issues?"

"You haven't thought about how to strengthen yourself?"

Logan wanted to say he didn't need to, but after thinking about it, he realized maybe it was time to consider ways to increase his combat effectiveness.

"How do I do that?"

"Let's start with the basics—improve your physical condition first."

(To be continued.)