🎉DOTM: Chapter 175/178

Chapter 175

"Captain Ethan."

"Just call me Ethan."

"Okay, Ethan. You can call me Cleo directly too." Cleo behaved very politely. His demeanor was very different from the adventurers Ethan had seen before. He seemed like someone born into privilege who had received a formal education from a young age. "You said earlier that there's a mysterious power on this island that can trap people in an illusion without them realizing it?"

"Yes."

Ethan didn't hide anything and simply told Cleo what he knew. He didn't care about this information being shared, and he understood that it wouldn't stop this group from landing on the island anyway. He was more curious about how they would deal with such a problem.

Cleo listened quietly to Ethan's explanation, occasionally asking for minor details. Then he stood there, deep in thought. Ethan noticed that while thinking, Cleo glanced at him and Logan several times, and even at his own ship.

He's observing our situation.

Ethan instantly realized what Cleo was doing. He was assessing the credibility of Ethan's words by evaluating the condition of Ethan's crew and ship. At the same time, he was judging how much of a threat the strange force might be, and whether it had caused any casualties.

"Thank you very much for the information and help you've provided. Perhaps this knowledge will allow my crew to avoid unknown dangers and even save their lives."

Cleo expressed his gratitude when Ethan finished explaining the general situation, as if he had been listening intently the entire time. There hadn't been a single careless move on his part.

This was a very cautious captain.

Considering where they were, it made sense. The other party had a large crew, and the fact that he could manage them so well proved his competence. So these actions weren't strange at all.

If he had simply believed everything from a stranger without question, that would have been more suspicious.

After exchanging a few more words, Cleo finally said goodbye to Ethan and returned to his ship. The Eternal slowly started moving again, heading to a location not far from the Goddess of Dawn, a spot that was the most suitable nearby landing point and also maintained a certain distance from the Goddess of Dawn.

It could be said that they came over previously to gather information and extend goodwill, given the unclear situation.

Now that goodwill had been expressed and information had been gathered, the Eternal needed to find its own docking location. It couldn't just remain beside the Goddess of Dawn forever, which could be interpreted as blocking her or being hostile.

Moreover, with the ships too close together, neither side could fully relax and rest at night. That wasn't ideal for anyone. Keeping a reasonable distance was necessary.

Once the other ship slowly sailed away, Logan, who had remained silent, finally shared his thoughts on Cleo with Ethan.

"That guy's not easy to deal with."

"I know."

Ethan activated his communicator and informed Diana that she could come out. When the Eternal had approached earlier, he had contacted Diana via communicator and told her to stay hidden in the captain's room. In case of conflict, she could attack the enemy ship directly through the cabin window.

That was Ethan's biggest confidence in allowing the Eternal to come close. With Diana's current strength, it would take her little effort to tear apart a wooden sailing ship. If she used her divine power, she could obliterate the Eternal with a single blast, erasing it from existence without leaving a trace.

Diana walked out of the cabin and stood beside Ethan and Logan, watching the Eternal, which had now moved at least 200 meters away. Both sides could now lower their guard slightly. This was a suitable distance, close enough to be observed but far enough to provide buffer time if needed.

"Who are those people?"

"Strangers."

Diana glanced at Ethan. She was beginning to understand. Humans weren't all kind. Human nature was complicated. Often, your kindness wouldn't be repaid with kindness. It might even invite hostility.

"What do they want?"

"Probably the same as us. They want to see what's on the island."

"With us?"

"No. They'll probably try it on their own first."

Not long after the Eternal came to a stop, Ethan saw a group of people disembark and head toward the island. It was a good opportunity to observe. He stood on the poop deck with Logan and Diana, using binoculars to watch the group.

He also glanced at the Eternal. Cleo didn't go ashore, but stood on the poop deck with his first mate, observing the crew through binoculars, just like Ethan and the others. Ethan also noticed a lookout at the top of the Eternal's mast doing the same.

Since the island was mostly grassland, the view wasn't obstructed. Everyone could clearly see what the crew was doing.

At first, they moved normally, heading deeper into the island. But as they progressed toward the center, the group began to slowly scatter. At this point, it seemed that the Eternal realized something was wrong. Having received Ethan's warning earlier, Cleo began signaling to his dispersed crew.

Ethan noticed that every time the crew advanced a certain distance, they would look back at the Eternal's position, clearly checking for signals. They still maintained this habit, but regardless of how the Eternal signaled, those people kept moving forward as if they saw nothing. They became increasingly scattered, to the point that it looked like a bunch of unrelated individuals wandering aimlessly.

Their routes weren't fixed, but they generally continued toward the island's interior, and before long, they completely vanished from view.

Ethan knew this meant they had fallen into the illusion. With the tall grass for cover, anyone who collapsed wouldn't be visible from a distance.

"They looked back at their ship before, but kept moving as if nothing was wrong. That means their senses were already affected. In their eyes, the ship was still quietly docked, and even signals from it appeared normal."

"That makes sense."

Previously, he had also been trapped in an illusion without realizing what was happening. Now that he had watched the Eternal's crew fall victim to the same phenomenon from a third-party perspective, Logan felt deeply uncomfortable, especially considering how he had been taken down so easily before.

"The people on that ship are about to act again."

Diana's eyesight far exceeded that of an ordinary person. She didn't need binoculars to see what was happening on the Eternal and was the first to notice Cleo's movements.

"Looks like the captain wants to go ashore himself."

"Right now, standing by and doing nothing wouldn't be suitable for a captain."

Whether or not he could save his crew, he had to take some action and make a statement. Even recklessly sending people in to rescue them was better than sitting idle and appearing indifferent.

When the crew feels valued, they're willing to fight for the captain. In that regard, Cleo did well, better than most captains, because he chose to go personally.

"It doesn't seem like a rational decision."

"Being too rational isn't always a good thing right now."

"If he gets trapped on the island too, should we step in?"

Ethan didn't really care whether Cleo lived or died. He was more curious about Cleo's strength. Maybe the man had a way to deal with the mysterious power on the island. Still, hearing the question from the two, Ethan gave his answer.

"If he's in trouble, we can help him."

Although Ethan wasn't exactly a good person, Cleo had made a decent first impression. For an adventurer like that, he didn't mind lending a hand. He wouldn't help someone like Brent, but Cleo wasn't a complete scumbag.

The two people by Ethan's side, one cold but soft-hearted, the other a truly kind-hearted hero, couldn't just sit by and watch Cleo die. Unless Cleo turned out to be some evil supervillain who had committed countless crimes, these two wouldn't just stand aside.

Compared to some superheroes who uphold absolute justice, these two were less rigid, more true to themselves. That was exactly why Ethan had brought Logan on board, become friends with Diana, and even personally taught her how to control energy.

As for someone like Superman. While Ethan admired him as a person and could be friends with him, he'd never let someone like that become his crew member or partner. That would just be asking for trouble.

To Ethan, ability mattered, but personality and values mattered more when choosing a partner.

"The captain's landed on the island."

Ethan and Logan raised their binoculars simultaneously, looking toward the Eternal. They saw that Cleo had gone ashore alone, while First Mate Bob remained on the ship. Through the biological detection function in his glasses, Ethan confirmed that all the other crew members were still on deck, around fifty people. Given the Eternal's displacement, that was already a minimal configuration.

Compared to their numbers, what really caught Ethan's attention was Cleo himself. He noticed that Cleo had changed into a new set of gear, something that looked familiar.

"Huh? That looks a lot like the gear worn by the assassin I killed before."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 176

Ethan focused all his attention on the outfit Cleo was wearing, carefully observing every detail, and still found many differences.

"The breastplate, shoulder pads, armguards, and greaves, judging by their structure, are more like a set of light armor. The lining isn't a form-fitting tights design, but rather ordinary clothing worn underneath and covered by the armor parts."

After watching for a while, Ethan formed a general assessment in his mind.

"It seems the assassin's equipment was more advanced."

He still hadn't fully figured out what material the assassin's gear was made of. Based on its texture and some surface details, it seemed to be some kind of composite material.

This made him feel a little speechless. If it were something created by Tony, composite materials wouldn't be unusual at all. But in this world… was the craftsmanship level really that advanced? Or had he simply not yet seen the true technological capabilities of this world?

He couldn't find an answer for now. He had stored that set of equipment a long time ago and occasionally took it out to study. He already understood many of the finer details, so he could now accurately judge that Cleo's set, though somewhat similar, was a more "basic" version.

"Maybe this is standard personal gear for adventurers in this world."

Ethan hadn't interacted with many adventurers yet. The only relatively high-level one he had met was Brent. He fought Brent once, but Brent hadn't shown his full strength. Ethan didn't know whether Brent also had similar equipment.

However, based on Cleo, it was highly likely that Brent did have something similar. Perhaps his gear was the same as Cleo's, or maybe even slightly better, but it definitely wasn't as good as the set Ethan had in hand.

"The assassin's gear was more focused on stealth. I wonder what capabilities Cleo's set has?"

What he could confirm was that this kind of light armor-like gear could generate a protective energy layer. The assassin's version, optimized for stealth, had a weaker energy layer that Ethan could easily penetrate. Cleo's version likely wasn't as fragile, probably designed to withstand frontal assaults.

"Considering that Cleo is the captain of a ship, there's a high chance he would be targeted during battle. That may be the reason."

Ethan didn't keep this assessment to himself. He directly explained his observations to Logan and Diana, so they would understand the potential capabilities of the other party's equipment and avoid being caught off guard during a confrontation.

"That kind of thing really exists?"

Looking back at the console on the Goddess of Dawn, it wasn't too surprising that such armor existed. Compared to the various magic stone-based devices on the ship, purely combat-oriented equipment was easier to grasp.

"Sounds good. I should get a set if I get the chance."

Logan was quite interested in such gear. Although he had a self-healing factor and wasn't afraid of taking hits, no one enjoyed being wounded. It still hurt. Naturally, it was better not to get injured at all.

"I have a set, but it leans toward stealth. I guess it wouldn't interest you much."

He had kept that set of assassin gear to study its structure and principles, hoping to reproduce it in the future. Now it seemed likely to be part of a mass-produced line. He began considering equipping all his partners with similar gear, which would greatly boost their combat effectiveness.

"Why do you have such a set?"

"From an assassin who tried to kill me."

Logan didn't care why someone tried to assassinate Ethan, but Diana was curious. It also helped her understand how dangerous this world could be.

"You'd kill someone over something that simple?"

"This kind of thing doesn't just happen in this world. It's the same in many worlds."

Diana's worldview still needed time to develop. At that moment, everyone's attention shifted to Cleo. As he steadily advanced into the island's interior, he suddenly stopped. His condition didn't look good.

"The energy in his armor is fluctuating violently."

This didn't require Ethan's mental powers to detect. Anyone with eyes could see the ripples flashing across Cleo's body. Diana, with her enhanced vision, could see Cleo struggling, as though trapped by something.

Although they couldn't see his expression clearly, everyone could tell Cleo was in trouble.

"Should I go?"

"I'll go. Diana, you're our hidden trump card right now. It's not the time to reveal your strength."

Ethan had already met Cleo. Revealing a portion of his strength would let the other party know not to mess with him. If Cleo harbored any ill intentions, the uncertainty about Diana's abilities could act as a deterrent.

If Diana revealed her strength too early and the opponent decided to act, they would be left without a hidden card. So, unless necessary, it was best if Diana didn't act.

Putting on his magic suit, Ethan first took out the Book of Inheritance, preparing to cast a protective shield. He knew that as soon as he entered the island, he would be attacked by that mysterious force.

His extended flame wings released a powerful airflow, slowly lifting Ethan into the air. He aimed and flew straight toward Cleo.

This time, he didn't activate his shield immediately. He wanted to test how fast the mysterious power reacted. Would it attack within a certain range, or only target specific individuals? What was the energy transfer speed? The reaction time? Could it be evaded? These all needed to be tested.

The result was clear. Not long after takeoff, Ethan sensed a large amount of energy gathering toward him. However, it couldn't threaten him for now. His suit had energy protection, and in his current form, he was agile. He began trying to avoid the energy attacks with speed.

"When a target enters the attack range, the opponent must mobilize energy to pursue after a dodge. You're not automatically hit just by entering the area. This proves that the energy isn't unlimited, and high-intensity energy can't cover the entire island."

The situation wasn't too bad. This information would help in future explorations. Also, he was fast enough. This time window was enough for him to fly to Cleo, grab him, then draw a graceful arc in the sky and fly back toward the sea.

Thanks to Ethan's rescue, Cleo, who had been trapped by the mysterious power, suddenly felt his body lighten. By the time he came back to his senses, he had been lifted into the air. The armor on his body protected him from the airflow, allowing him to look up and see who had saved him. Unfortunately, Ethan was wearing a hood during flight, so Cleo couldn't see his face due to the hidden magic.

Ethan brought Cleo down to the deck of the Eternal. Because of the intense airflow and heat from the wings, the entire deck had been cleared. The crew of the Eternal had retreated to the edges to avoid the flames.

Ethan hadn't come to show off. He put away his flame wings the moment he landed, transforming them back into a normal cloak. He also pulled back his hood, revealing his face. Only then did Cleo realize that it was Ethan, the captain of the Goddess of Dawn, who had saved him.

"Thank you very much for your help, Captain Ethan."

"You're welcome."

Ethan's strength surprised Cleo, but he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he expressed hope that Ethan could help retrieve his crew.

"I know this request may be abrupt, but I'm willing to offer payment in return."

It was hard to say whether Ethan was being sincere, and Cleo didn't know what the cost would be. But for Ethan, saving one person or saving ten was the same. It wasn't difficult. Besides, if he refused, the positive relationship between the two parties might take a sudden turn.

"It's fine, no need for anything. Wait here, I'll bring them back soon."

The massive flame wings unfurled again. The crew of the Eternal was shocked by this magical ability. Cleo was also amazed that Ethan's plain-looking cloak had such power. It was the first time he had seen magic stone equipment capable of flight.

The key was the flight speed. It was incredible.

Cleo could easily tell that with Ethan's flight speed, no ship could escape pursuit from the captain of the Goddess of Dawn. Once targeted, they would either be completely wiped out, or they'd have no chance to realize the situation and turn back.

His first mate Bob also saw this. When Ethan flew off to rescue the crew, Bob approached Cleo and reminded him, "It's best to stay on good terms with this man. Becoming his enemy would be a very unwise decision."

"I know."

Even without Bob's reminder, Cleo didn't want to be enemies with Ethan. He didn't like making enemies unnecessarily. Bob knew that too, so he didn't say more.

That was exactly how it played out. After Ethan rescued several crew members who had fallen into illusions and returned them to the Eternal, Cleo became even more enthusiastic. He promised not to compete with Ethan for any items on the island and even offered to help Ethan obtain the island's resources to the best of his ability.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to random_debuff for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 177

The Goddess of Dawn and the Eternal reached a verbal alliance. Cleo promised to do everything in his power to help Ethan obtain whatever he wanted on the island, though the promise was limited to himself. He would not joke around with his own crew.

His statement helped strengthen his crew's loyalty. Several sailors who had been rescued by Ethan also immediately pledged to help Ethan alongside their captain, to repay the kindness of being rescued from the island.

Ethan didn't reject the offer. It was actually a good thing that the other party wanted to repay him in this way. Besides, he wouldn't really treat them as cannon fodder to help clear a path. Right now, all he needed was some labor from the Eternal.

"I don't know exactly what's on the island, but I think it'll be enough for both of our ships."

Before returning to his own ship, Ethan gave a final reminder. "By the way, the water on this island is a little strange. It's best not to use it... especially for drinking, at least not until it's confirmed safe."

Cleo nodded to show he understood. He wasn't planning to let any crew members leave the Eternal anyway. They still had plenty of supplies on board, and for adventurers at their level, drinking water was one of the easiest problems to solve. Slightly larger ships would be equipped with water purification devices that extracted clean water directly from the sea for the crew's use.

After warning Cleo, Ethan flew back to the Goddess of Dawn. He didn't walk back along the coastline because he wasn't sure whether setting foot on the island again would trigger another attack.

So far, he had only been attacked after going deeper into the island. But his previous test had shown that the energy on this island would mobilize and attack a specific target based on certain conditions. He couldn't be sure whether that power had already marked him.

After landing on the deck of the Goddess of Dawn, Ethan repeated Cleo's promise to Logan and Diana.

Diana remained silent, but Logan thought more deeply about it.

"Do you think we can trust what he said?"

"No." Ethan wasn't naive. He wouldn't trust a stranger so easily. "But he has shown goodwill. As long as he doesn't try anything threatening, we can treat him as an ally."

This meant that cooperation was possible, but sufficient caution was necessary. Smiling on the surface while stabbing you in the back wasn't uncommon. In this world, where formal laws and regulations didn't really exist, what determined a person's behavior was their own moral code.

Under such conditions, the world had still maintained a considerable degree of order and hadn't fallen into total chaos, which was quite rare.

"Anyway, let's just take a proper rest tonight. They just arrived and suffered some setbacks, so they probably need time to recover. We'll officially begin exploring the island's interior tomorrow."

Ethan and his group were already prepared, but now that they were cooperating with the Eternal, they had to consider their ally. Moreover, Diana still needed time to study some "basic knowledge," so postponing exploration also suited Ethan's needs.

The rest of the day was spent in various discussions.

Diana gained a more detailed understanding of this world and human nature. These were things Ethan hadn't told her before, because at that time Diana always thought too positively. Telling her then that human nature could be dark wouldn't have worked.

After experiencing many things firsthand, Diana began to accept this perspective. She realized the world wasn't as beautiful as she had imagined. The truth left her a bit shocked, but thanks to Ethan's earlier guidance, she wasn't too emotionally shaken and gradually accepted a more "realistic" worldview.

This was something she needed to understand. Considering that she would eventually return to her own world and live independently, she would encounter worse things, and there would be no one to guide her at that time.

In the original plot, after living in human society for decades, Diana almost lost faith in humanity. She shifted to a neutral stance and began observing everything silently, hiding among humans.

At the root of it was the collapse of her worldview. Now that she could accept the truth more easily, maybe Wonder Woman could stay active for longer.

That might lead to more interesting changes, but Ethan wasn't focused on that now, nor was he focused on the island.

He took out the stealth suit he had acquired from the assassin, laid it out on his test bench, and began introducing its capabilities to Logan and Diana in detail.

"It seems to be made from some sort of special polymer material..."

The suit resembled a tight-fitting uniform with armor parts like a breastplate, armguards, and greaves. It didn't appear very large, and it seemed suited for thinner individuals. But when Logan tried it on, he found that even his body could easily fit into the suit.

"Are you sure you didn't bring this back from some high-tech world?"

Diana couldn't see anything unusual, but Logan thought the suit looked very futuristic. Although this world had magical things like magic stones, this equipment seemed to involve more than just magic.

"The assassin came from the next sea area."

Ethan didn't know much about that region, especially since it was considered a suicide route. Back then, he hadn't noticed anything strange. The boat the assassin used could dive, but aside from that, it wasn't particularly special and was nothing compared to his own ship.

At the time, he hadn't realized anything was off, but thinking back now, it did seem abnormal.

That route was far more dangerous than he had imagined. Even approaching the central island from another direction became more perilous the closer he got. Something wasn't right.

"That guy's boat was too common... Vessels like that are everywhere in this sea. It must've been a disguise to conceal his identity."

Now that Ethan understood, he realized the suit in front of him likely represented the combat strength of the next sea area. He began speculating about the general conditions of that region based on the suit.

"Even if I can't be sure whether this was standard-issue gear, treating it as high-end equipment that some individuals can access still means most adventurers there probably have lower-end variants."

Cleo's equipment supported that theory. Ethan didn't believe Cleo's armor was rare in the next sea area.

"So... what is the next sea area like?"

"Maybe sailboats won't be viable at all."

Ethan believed that a purely wooden sailboat couldn't survive the end of that route. Even if it did make it, the danger would be immense.

At the central island, he had seen ships with metal plating and propellers powered by magic stone technology. Although he hadn't seen a ship built entirely of metal, the trend was clear.

"You need to decide quickly what kind of ship you want to build next."

Logan made a good point. Ethan had planned to design his next ship based on conditions along the current route, but now that plan seemed too conservative. He couldn't keep reacting to the environment and changing ships every time. That wouldn't work.

"Even though there are many problems to solve, this time I need to replace it with a good ship."

A full metal structure was already set in stone. Even if it took a year or two to build, he was willing to wait.

The displacement hadn't been decided yet, and the detailed design was still pending. What was certain was that he needed to integrate all his technology into this new ship.

"What's certain is that the new ship will definitely be a warship."

In this kind of world, you couldn't exactly sail around in a yacht. Considering the potential for sea battles, a warship was basically essential.

"The inside can be whatever we want, but what should the outside look like?"

Everyone present had plenty of energy. Even staying up all night wouldn't affect their activities the next day. After a while, their discussion drifted.

They went from talking about what kind of battleship to build for the next sea area to what kind of design would best suit their tastes.

"A battleship?"

Diana's image of a warship was still stuck in the age of sails, so she didn't have much input. But Logan had a deep connection to the weapons of World War I and II.

"Wouldn't the tonnage be too large?"

"Given the current situation, having more tonnage might not be a bad thing." He had initially thought that a 10,000-ton steel warship would be enough. But now, looking at the suit on the table, bigger and stronger seemed like a better idea.

"How about the Iowa class?"

For survivability and single-ship combat strength, a battleship was the top choice. The Iowa class was likely the last of the battleships, and also the one Logan was most familiar with.

Ethan rubbed his chin and recalled the design of the Iowa class. It fit his aesthetic fairly well, although he personally preferred the USS Hood or the Bismarck-class.

Of course, regardless of which design he chose, it would only resemble them in appearance. The internals would be completely different. Leaving Tony Stark's tech aside, Ethan would definitely incorporate more powerful magic stone technology and his own magic circles.

"A battleship that fires energy beams and has an energy shield... feels like I've seen that somewhere before..."

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to random_debuff for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 178

After a whole night of talking nonsense, the sun still rose the next day, though it felt a little different. The weather wasn't great. The sea breeze had picked up and carried a chill.

"Bring thick clothes, just in case."

Uncertain whether the temperature would suddenly drop below zero, both Logan and Ethan packed thick coats into their backpacks and wore long-sleeved tops. Then, only the two of them disembarked from the Goddess of Dawn.

After stepping ashore, Ethan tapped the side of his glasses and immediately heard Diana's voice.

"Everything is normal. If communication is lost for more than ten minutes, I'll come and save you both."

Diana stayed on the ship as their final trump card. With her strength and flight ability, she was even more effective than Ethan at rescuing people.

"Remember, there's a remote activation for the mental stimulation device in my glasses. If you lose contact with me for over ten minutes, trigger that first. If it still doesn't work, then come out."

It seemed like a minor adjustment, but the effect was similar to someone stabbing him with a needle to forcefully wake him from an illusion.

With that, plus the amulets he had made, he had enough confidence to step onto the island again.

"That Cleo went ashore too."

Logan and Ethan walked slowly toward the interior of the island. This time, Logan was also wearing a pair of glasses with the same functions as Ethan's, and he carried several amulets as well.

He was much more cautious now. Although he knew their opponent was an invisible force, he still habitually scanned his surroundings, which allowed him to notice that Cleo had disembarked from the Eternal and entered the island earlier.

"He didn't bring anyone with him."

"That was a wise decision."

Ethan had already seen that Cleo's gear could resist mental interference and energy attacks to some extent, but his crew lacked that kind of equipment. Bringing them would only make them a burden.

Before figuring out the source of the island's mysterious power and how to deal with it, numbers didn't mean much. Ethan simply wanted to resolve the issue, then cooperate with the Eternal to gather materials. At that point, their manpower advantage could come into play.

Deliberately slowing his pace to wait for Cleo to catch up, Ethan exchanged a quick greeting before handing over a few amulets.

"Keep these on you to block the mental disturbance."

Cleo didn't question Ethan's words. He just curiously examined the inconspicuous items in his hand. If Ethan hadn't explained their purpose, he would have assumed they were random junk picked up from the grass. They looked so ordinary. He could probably find stones that looked better.

"Thanks."

"We're exploring this island together now. I don't want to suddenly end up without any backup."

The group once again headed toward the island's center. Periodically, Ethan would receive check-in prompts from Diana, and he would tap his glasses in response.

They couldn't be sure everything was truly normal, but it did seem they had traveled farther than any of their previous attempts.

Looking at the tall grass now reaching waist-height, Ethan gradually felt a particularly intense fluctuation.

"This place is overflowing with life."

He stopped and looked around. Unlike last time, he didn't see the coastline. From here, he could clearly see the island's edge. Although the entire island was covered in grassland, it wasn't small. The open view allowed them to see to the edges in either direction.

"We're getting close to the center."

"The grass ahead looks even taller."

Logan made a rough observation. He was the tallest among them, but even he found that if they kept going, he might also be swallowed by the grass.

"It's like a sea of grass."

Ethan didn't respond to Cleo's remark but crouched down and brushed his hand across the soil. He could sense that the life energy in the ground was even more abundant than what he had detected near the hole they previously dug up. It was stronger than the clear water they'd found before.

"I think we're close to the true heart of the island."

He wasn't sure if this overflowing life energy could be harnessed. In theory, unclaimed life force like this should be usable. But when he tried to extract some, he found that the energy couldn't be controlled and remained rooted firmly in the soil.

"Should we keep going?"

"We've come this far. Of course we keep going."

Logan nodded and took two machetes from his backpack. In this situation, the safest method was to cut through the grass ahead. It would clear a path and also leave a visible trail, making it easier to retrace their steps later.

As Logan continued chopping down the grass, the three of them moved closer to the island's center. But just ten meters ahead, Ethan glanced back and grabbed Logan, signaling him to stop.

"What's wrong?"

Ethan pointed behind them. Logan looked and immediately understood why Ethan had stopped him.

The grass Logan had cut down was regrowing at a speed visible to the naked eye. The ones he had trimmed farthest back had already returned to their original height and merged seamlessly with the surrounding vegetation. There was no sign of any disturbance, as if Logan and the others had never been there.

Even the grass they had just cut began to regrow quickly. Soon, even the ground beneath their feet was covered in fast-growing grass. Within moments, the three of them were surrounded by dense growth. They could no longer see each other clearly and couldn't even be sure of their companions' locations.

"The life energy here is extremely strong. After you cut the grass, the life energy stored in the soil reacted violently, replenishing the vitality needed and restoring everything to how it was."

"That sounds a little familiar."

Ethan and Logan were standing relatively close. Ethan extended a finger and tapped a spot on Logan's belt. Logan immediately understood. Wasn't this similar to the 'big health potion' Ethan had made using his own genes mixed with a recovery potion?

Their actions were subtle, and with the tall grass providing cover, Cleo didn't see any of it. He remained focused on the speed at which the grass regrew and the information revealed in Ethan's explanation.

"Life energy?"

Cleo looked down at the soil beneath his feet. He couldn't analyze energy like Ethan, but he could feel the massive power flowing under the ground.

Ethan glanced at the amulet he was wearing and saw that its energy was depleting rapidly.

"The more we move, the faster the amulets are drained. Their effectiveness is much lower than I expected."

Now they were at a loss. They had finally reached the island's center, but the grass had grown so tall that it almost reached twice a person's height. The group had to speak constantly to confirm each other's locations and avoid getting separated.

In this kind of environment, determining direction was also a challenge. Fortunately, the glasses worn by Ethan and Logan had multiple built-in functions that helped keep them from straying too far—or at least allowed them to correct their course quickly if they did.

When they finally reached the island's center, Ethan was stunned.

"What is this?"

The center was still covered in grass, but there was a small spring in the middle. The water was crystal clear, yet the bottom of the spring couldn't be seen.

"About one meter in diameter. The water is clear, but I can't see the bottom. No idea how deep it goes."

Ethan pulled out an analysis device. He expected the same result as before, but this time, the reading indicated that it was pure water, completely different from the previous sample.

"Clear water? Are you sure?"

Because of what had been dug up earlier, Logan had felt uneasy about drinking water lately. It always felt like eating rather than drinking. He hadn't expected Ethan to reach this conclusion.

Cleo was curious about the strange tools Ethan used, but he didn't speak. He simply observed quietly, waiting to see what Ethan would do.

Ethan stared at the spring. He knew he couldn't waste too much time here. A decision had to be made quickly.

"Wait a moment."

He took out a small object, a spindle-shaped piece of metal about the size of a fist. Neither Logan nor Cleo knew what it was. Before they could ask, Ethan tossed it into the spring and tapped the frame of his glasses.

It was a small underwater probe.

This was a highly technical device, designed to concentrate multiple functions into a tiny package while still transmitting data reliably. Even with Tony Stark's abilities, it took time to build something like this. Ethan had brought it with him out of habit, not expecting he would actually need it.

Through his glasses, he received the visual feed from the probe. He found that the spring was much deeper than expected. The device continued descending for half an hour before suddenly encountering a burst of light. Then, it fell into an open cave.

He didn't question why the probe had fallen into a dry cave after descending underwater. All of Ethan's attention was drawn to the strange object that appeared in the feed.

"Looks like a plant?"

(To be continued.)