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

"Can we go inside?"

Standing at the entrance of the cave, even Helena, who wasn't a mage, could feel the overwhelming aura of death emanating from the darkness within.

Compared to the rest of the island, the energy in the cave was exponentially stronger. If remaining on the island for too long was dangerous, entering the cave was undoubtedly far worse.

"I wouldn't recommend it," Ethan said flatly.

As a mage, his sensitivity to energy was sharper than the others'. The energy in the cave all but confirmed the presence of a high-quality magic stone. In fact, there was a strong chance it was a core-level magic stone, which should have been exciting.

But this particular magic stone reeked of negative energy—death, darkness, and decay. In the Sea of Calm, magic stones with such properties were practically unheard of. If Ethan hadn't done extensive research on magic stones, he might not have even known such a stone could exist.

"Negative energy stones like this one come with massive drawbacks," Ethan explained. "Even if it's used to power something like a facility, the resulting contamination would almost certainly cause unintended consequences. A ship powered by this would probably end up as a literal ghost ship. Even using it as a weapon would carry enormous risks."

"We're going in," Helena said firmly, biting her lip. Her resolute tone surprised Ethan. He couldn't understand why she was so determined to obtain this magic stone.

"You don't seem like someone driven by greed. Why are you so fixated on this stone?"

Ethan himself had already dismissed the idea of taking the stone. Even if it were placed right in front of him, he wouldn't touch it. The energy it emitted might have been tempting in its power, but it wasn't worth the cost.

Helena met his gaze, her eyes filled with unyielding determination. "Because I want to become stronger!"

Ethan frowned. "There are better ways to gain strength. This seems like a very dangerous path."

"If you want to quit, you can leave now," Helena said coldly, her tone daring him to back out.

Her words didn't faze Ethan in the slightest. While the cave's energy was dangerous, it wasn't enough to pose a real threat to him.

"There are many paths to power," he said quietly. "But if this is the one you've chosen, so be it."

With that, Ethan stepped into the cave first.

The already dim light of the island faded further as they entered. After only a few steps, the light from the entrance became faint, and the path ahead was pitch black.

"Torches," Helena ordered.

Marta and Eliza quickly pulled torches and flint from their packs, lighting them to illuminate the dark cave. Unlike flashlights, torches offered the advantage of testing air quality in enclosed spaces, a critical consideration for any underground exploration.

Helena walked slightly behind Ethan, holding a torch high to light his way. Ethan gripped his iron staff in one hand, ready for any sudden danger.

The cave was narrow, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. This made larger weapons impractical. Ethan left his longsword sheathed, and both Marta and Eliza swapped their two-handed swords for daggers.

The path sloped gently downward, twisting and turning as it extended deeper into the earth. Ethan's sharp senses allowed him to detect subtle details that others might miss.

"We're underground now," Ethan said suddenly.

Helena blinked in surprise. "Are you sure? It feels like we've been walking in a straight line."

"No," Ethan corrected her. "This cave isn't straight. It's slightly curved, and the ground beneath us is uneven. The slope is subtle, but we've been descending the entire time. The cave has been spiraling downward, leading us further beneath the island."

What Ethan couldn't figure out was how the cave could maintain such a wide circular layout with a small arc. Did the island even have enough space to accommodate it?

"Could it be more than just negative energy? Is there spatial energy involved here too?"

The thought reignited Ethan's interest. There was nothing he cared about more than the study of spatial energy, it was the foundation of his ability to navigate this world.

While deep in thought, he suddenly detected movement up ahead. Making a gesture to signal the others behind him, he cautiously advanced.

The darkness ahead was oppressive, so deep that even the torchlight seemed unable to penetrate more than ten meters. As they walked further, the space around them began to widen, and the narrow passage opened into what seemed to be a large chamber.

"Is that… a person?"

Illuminated by the flickering firelight, Ethan spotted a figure standing motionless in the dark. Judging by the clothes, it seemed to be one of the crew members from the previous ship.

"What's he doing here? Lost in the dark?" Helena asked, her voice skeptical. She was about to call out to the figure when Ethan stopped her with a raised hand.

"Something's wrong," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"That man is dead."

Ethan didn't sense any signs of life coming from the figure. Instead, he felt an overwhelming aura of death. Whatever was standing before them wasn't alive.

"A zombie?" Ethan muttered under his breath.

He hadn't expected to encounter such a thing in this world. But considering the presence of magic stones and other strange phenomena, it wasn't entirely implausible.

To prove his point, Ethan picked up a small stone and tossed it against the cave wall near the figure.

Clink.

The sharp sound echoed through the chamber, drawing the figure's attention. When it turned around, the pale, lifeless face with glowing pupils sent a chill through everyone present.

"What the—its eyes can see?"

Ethan quickly noticed the strange magical fluctuations emanating from the glowing pupils. They weren't just for show, the creature could see, and those eyes likely held some kind of power.

"Great," Ethan muttered grimly. "It's like a zombie, but worse."

Unlike the slow, shuffling zombies he'd read about in other stories, this one had sharp senses and rapid movements. Ethan suspected the darkness wouldn't hinder its vision at all.

"Prepare for combat!" he barked.

The creature let out an eerie, bone-chilling screech that seemed to penetrate the very soul. Helena and her team staggered, nearly fainting under the mental assault.

"A soul attack?" Ethan guessed. "Or maybe something targeting the spirit?"

The screech's purpose was clear: to disorient its prey. While not particularly strong, it was enough to leave ordinary people vulnerable.

What followed was a blur. The creature shot forward with alarming speed, closing the distance between itself and Ethan in an instant. Its right arm swung toward him with unnatural force.

"Damn, it's fast!" Ethan barely had time to react.

He raised his iron rod to block the attack, but the impact was so powerful that his arms went numb. For a split second, he almost lost his grip.

Instinct kicked in. Instead of retreating in panic, Ethan stepped forward and slammed his shoulder into the creature while it was still mid-motion. The blow sent it flying backward, crashing into the ground with a heavy thud.

Bang!

The sound of the creature hitting the floor echoed through the cavern, but Ethan didn't let his guard down. His combat instincts, honed over battles, kept him on high alert.

As soon as the zombie hit the ground, Ethan raised his left wrist and fired a Frost Arrow.

Crack!

The sound of freezing air filled the chamber as the icy blast enveloped the creature. The sudden chill steadied Ethan's nerves, sharpening his focus.

Not stopping there, he raised his right hand and unleashed a flaming arrow, aiming directly at the frozen figure.

"Let's see you survive this," he muttered.

The fiery explosion lit up the cave, and the creature was engulfed in a burst of flames. But Ethan wasn't about to take chances. He wasn't sure where the zombie's weak point was, and he didn't intend to find out the hard way.

He stepped closer, ready to strike again if necessary.

Helena and her team, who had just recovered from the soul attack, barely had time to process what had happened.

"Thanks for—" Helena started, but her words caught in her throat when the torchlight revealed several more figures in the distance.

More of the creatures were charging toward them, their eerie glowing eyes locked onto their group.

***

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