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

Ethan smoothly swapped out the magazine in his Beretta and reloaded the frost arrows into his wristband, one by one. Even as his hands worked, his sharp gaze scanned the surroundings, alert for any hidden enemies.

The faint light from his scattered glow sticks cast eerie shadows, but it wasn't enough. The firelight from the fireballs and flaming arrows had already faded, and the torches had been extinguished during the chaotic battle.

"Relight the torches," Ethan ordered calmly.

Marta and Eliza quickly moved to reignite the extinguished torches. Though they had suffered some damage, the torches were still serviceable. As they flared back to life, the surrounding area became much brighter, revealing details that had been missed in the dim light of the glow sticks.

"Back off!" Ethan barked.

Everyone immediately retreated and regrouped into a defensive formation. Ethan stood slightly ahead of the group, his sword held in both hands, ready for anything. He holstered his Beretta to free up his hands, keeping his attention locked on the battlefield.

Just as they repositioned themselves, a strange sound echoed in the cave. The corpses of the zombies they had just killed began to tremble and burst open. Pale white skeletons crawled out of the remains, their empty eye sockets glowing faintly with an unnatural light.

"Skeleton soldiers?" Ethan muttered, narrowing his eyes.

The previously broken zombies had transformed, their forms now more intact. Each skeleton soldier wielded a weapon made of bone that glowed faintly, exuding a stronger aura of death than before. Their weapons were varied—swords, spears, and even bows—all of them unnervingly sharp and deadly.

"If these skeleton soldiers can cooperate, they'll be even more troublesome than the zombies," Ethan noted grimly.

Without hesitation, he raised his right hand and released another fireball from his wristband. It was his second fireball of the day, leaving him with only three more uses before the wristband needed to recharge.

The fireball exploded upon impact, scattering several skeleton soldiers. The explosion was so intense that some of the shattered pieces were burned to ash, rendering them irreparable.

"Their defense is weaker than the zombies," Ethan observed.

An incoming arrow whistled through the air, aimed straight at him. He raised his sword just in time to deflect it, but the impact was harder than expected. The arrow wasn't cut in half but rather deflected to the side. He quickly glanced at it as it hit the ground. It was a bone arrow, and its hardness was remarkable.

"So this is their level of craftsmanship," Ethan muttered under his breath before refocusing on the advancing skeleton soldiers.

This time, the skeletons moved with clear coordination. They attacked from multiple angles, their bone swords slashing in unison, leaving Ethan little room to maneuver.

"They actually know how to cooperate," Ethan said with mild irritation. It was as if this cave conspired to constantly throw the most troublesome scenarios his way. Was his luck cursed, or was the island itself playing games with him?

Faced with their coordinated assault, Ethan activated the ice shield on his left wrist to block his exposed side. His right hand gripped his sword tightly, parrying a series of strikes. He managed to redirect a spear that had been aimed at a vital point, but the weapon's tip still grazed his light armor, producing an unnerving screech.

Ethan wasn't the type to remain on the defensive for long. After weathering the initial wave of attacks, he counterattacked. He fired a rapid succession of frost arrows, the combined explosion of icy shards freezing the closest skeleton soldiers. With them immobilized, Ethan took the opportunity to summon another ice shield.

But this time, he didn't use it for defense. Instead, he used the shield offensively, slamming it into the frozen skeletons. The impact shattered the ice shield along with the skeletons, sending jagged shards flying. As the frost dissipated, Ethan systematically destroyed the remaining skeletons, smashing them into pieces with his sword.

Though the skeleton soldiers were stronger and faster than the zombies, they were far easier for Ethan to handle. He had encountered similar enemies in the Diablo world before and was familiar with their weaknesses.

By the time the last skeleton soldier fell, Ethan had already begun organizing his equipment, checking for any damage or ammunition spent.

"You're strong," Helena said, panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath.

"You're strong too."

Ethan returned Helena's polite acknowledgment with a faint nod. In truth, he didn't think Helena's strength was particularly impressive. While it might qualify as "strong" in the eyes of ordinary people, to someone like Ethan who had encountered and fought against truly powerful opponents, it didn't amount to much. But voicing such thoughts would only offend, so he kept them to himself.

Helena seemed aware of her limits. She didn't take pride in Ethan's compliment and instead sighed quietly before turning to inspect herself and her two subordinates. In the chaos of battle, even minor wounds could prove fatal if left untreated. For Ethan, the difference between men and women kept him from offering to help directly, so he let them handle their checks on their own.

While they worked, Ethan retrieved a flashlight from his pack and carefully examined the corpses of the fallen enemies. He studied the lingering traces of death energy clinging to them and ensured that any skeletons showing signs of movement were decisively smashed to pieces. After confirming that no immediate threat remained, he returned to Helena and her group.

"I've taken a look around," Ethan began, his tone calm but serious. "These corpses belong to the adventurers who landed here before us. They were corrupted by the death energy saturating this island and turned into the zombies we just fought. Even after being defeated, the energy in their bodies remained, allowing them to reanimate as skeletons and attack again."

He paused, his sharp gaze sweeping over the dimly lit cave. "To these undead creatures, we—the living—are like torches in the dead of night. If we continue forward, I'm certain we'll encounter more of them. And judging by the number of corpses, there's no telling how many groups of adventurers have suffered the same fate here before us."

The implications were clear: moving forward meant plunging into even greater danger.

Helena looked at Ethan, her expression unreadable. "So, what's your decision?"

Ethan raised a brow at her question, caught slightly off guard. "I'm going to move on," he said without hesitation.

What intrigued Ethan now wasn't just the possible death-attribute magic stone, it was the odd spatial distortions he had noticed. The abnormal structure of the cave hinted at the presence of space energy, and that was something far more valuable to him than any magic stone.

Helena stared at him for a moment, gauging his resolve. Then she nodded firmly. "I'll continue too." Her voice carried a determination that left no room for doubt. She glanced at Ethan again, noting how unscathed and composed he looked after two consecutive battles. That sight only strengthened her decision to press on.

Ethan considered trying to dissuade her but ultimately held his tongue. He simply nodded in acknowledgment, then turned and continued leading the group deeper into the cave, his flashlight illuminating their path. The further they went, the more dangerous the situation became, and Ethan had no intention of holding back his resources anymore.

Helena didn't question the flashlight or why Ethan hadn't used it earlier. She knew better than to pry, everyone had their trump cards. Her own group was no different. She herself carried a hidden ace, though she hesitated to use it. As her hand brushed against her side, she winced. There, a long gash oozed fresh blood despite her earlier attempts to treat it.

She had barely started to reapply pressure to the wound when Ethan stopped abruptly. He turned back, handing her a few small vials.

"Sprinkle the powder on the wound to disinfect it," he instructed, his voice even. "Then apply the paste to stop the bleeding."

Helena blinked in surprise but said nothing as Marta stepped forward to take the vials. Without hesitation, Marta began re-dressing her captain's wound.

"Thanks," Helena said quietly.

"You're welcome," Ethan replied, shaking his head. "At the very least, we're allies for now." His tone was casual, as though he didn't expect thanks for something so trivial. To him, it was simply practical, if Helena continued bleeding, it would put everyone at risk.

Once her wound was properly treated and the bleeding stopped, the group resumed their journey. They left the wide-open space behind and entered a narrower passage. This time, the trek didn't take as long. Before they knew it, they emerged into another cavern, this one dimly lit by an eerie pale glow emanating from its center.

Ethan's sharp eyes immediately zeroed in on the source of the light. Floating in the middle of the cavern was a stone roughly the size of a fist. Its surface radiated a dense aura of death energy, and there was no mistaking what it was.

"A death-attribute magic stone," Ethan muttered, his voice low but tinged with a mix of awe and caution. The energy it emitted was so strong that even someone without magical sensitivity could feel the oppressive weight of it.

But what caught Ethan's attention even more than the magic stone was another energy lingering faintly above it. His eyes narrowed as he focused on the subtle fluctuation in the air.

"Space-time energy!"

***

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