This was a plain-like island. Standing on one side, you could see the general layout of the other. Ethan circled the island twice and finally confirmed—it was indeed just a plain.
"Are all the floating and sinking islands you mentioned like this?"
Logan, having been briefed by Ethan, now saw one of the so-called islands that could suddenly appear at sea and then sink back after a period of time. He didn't understand how so many plants could grow in such a short time. Was this island really capable of replenishing supplies? Could it be that people in this world actually ate grass?
"The island does seem strange. This is the first time I've seen an island that's just a grassland."
Ethan put down the telescope in his hand, pondering what to do next.
They definitely had to go ashore. Even if there weren't any food sources like fruit on the island, there was still a chance of finding minerals.
Based on the information Brent had given him, the islands along this route were known to be rich in resources. There was no way this island had absolutely nothing.
"If that's the case, then my luck is 'too good.'"
"You said before that your luck has always been good. I hope that still holds true now that I'm on board," Logan said. He didn't want Ethan to suddenly become unlucky just because he'd joined. Everyone wanted an easier life, especially someone like Logan, who had been through so much.
"Are we heading ashore?"
"Just dock over there."
Circling the island wasn't just for observation, it was also to find a suitable place to dock.
Most of the shoreline around the island was inaccessible for the Goddess of Dawn. There were only two potential docking spots.
One was a small harbor-like inlet. The water depth was good, but observation revealed many reefs below the surface. If it happened to be low tide, the Goddess of Dawn could easily get stuck and be unable to leave.
The other option wasn't a harbor at all just the island's edge. It wasn't a shallow area, and there weren't many reefs underwater. The Goddess of Dawn could dock there directly, and they could use a springboard to go ashore.
Of course, there was a downside. The waves in that area were a bit strong. If the ship was parked there, they wouldn't be able to rest onboard at night, and there was no suitable place nearby to set up camp, meaning they couldn't keep an eye on the ship.
"Which one are we choosing?"
Ethan didn't struggle with the decision for long and chose the shoreline instead of the safer harbor.
"This isn't Earth. These islands can sink at any time. If the tide goes out while we're docked in that harbor and the ship gets stuck, we're in big trouble."
Though docking at the shore came with its own challenges, they were manageable. Even if someone tried to sneak in and mess with the Goddess of Dawn, thanks to the alarm system and Ethan's Flame Cloak, he could return quickly and prevent the ship from being stolen.
"Should we leave someone on the ship?" The only options were Ethan or Logan. Laura was too young to stay alone, she either needed to go with someone or be with others at all times.
Ethan shook his head and pointed at Auriel, who was scratching its ears. "Just leave this little guy. I installed a tracking device in its collar. Even if something happens, as long as the culprit doesn't get too far, I'll be able to find them."
Logan knew Ethan could fly, and not slowly either. No sailboat could outrun him. Plus, Auriel was tiny and hard to spot. If it wanted to hide, most people wouldn't be able to find it. Over time, Logan had also learned that this little creature was clever, highly intelligent, and could communicate normally with people. This task wasn't difficult for it.
Then, Logan watched as Ethan gave the cat-like creature a few instructions to "watch the ship," and the little thing raised its paw in response. Ethan then held up a finger at it… and the little guy tilted its head before firmly raising its paw again!
"..."
The scene was a bit surreal. Logan turned away and carefully maneuvered the Goddess of Dawn to the designated docking spot. His sailing skills weren't great, and by the time they were anchored, he was out of breath. He used the controls to secure the anchor, then headed for the springboard to disembark.
After wrapping up a few final arrangements with Auriel, Ethan came over with two backpacks. He was already wearing his magic gear.
Logan also did a quick check of his own equipment. Compared to Ethan's magic gear, Logan stuck with firearms, an M-series assault rifle, two pistols, some grenades, and plenty of ammo. The bottom of his pack was reserved for food and water, no medical kits, no melee weapons.
Ethan's backpack was filled with all sorts of gear, and combined with what he had stored in his ring, it was enough to handle almost any situation.
And Laura? The little girl looked more like she was headed for a picnic. Her bag was stuffed with snacks and fruit. Most of the fruit onboard the Goddess of Dawn had been eaten by her as treats. Ethan and Logan both preferred meat, so fruit was only eaten occasionally to maintain nutritional balance.
If you ignored how heavily armed Ethan and Logan were, it really looked like an adult taking two kids out for a picnic. Logan found the feeling odd. It was a kind of experience he hadn't had in years. He was dazed for a moment after stepping onto the island, until Ethan's voice brought him back to reality.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Ethan saw that Logan didn't want to talk and didn't press the issue. He walked ahead. With the Book of Inheritance on hand, he could protect everyone at the first sign of trouble. Even though Logan and Laura weren't vulnerable to sneak attacks, it was still better to keep everyone at full combat strength, ensuring a better counterattack than reacting after being wounded.
Laura walked in the middle, with Logan bringing up the rear.
Even though the two of them walked behind, it didn't affect their ability to scout. Logan's sense of smell was incredibly sharp. Combined with his heightened senses and battle-hardened intuition, it was nearly impossible for an ordinary creature to sneak up on him.
Ethan was also using high-tech scanning glasses. After moving for a few hours, they hadn't found anything. The island seemed to consist of nothing but greenery, and no other noteworthy elements. What annoyed Ethan the most was that the further they went, the taller the grass got. At first, it was just underfoot, then it reached their ankles, and now it had grown to knee height.
"This isn't looking good if it keeps up."
Ethan stared at the increasingly tall grass ahead and raised his head to scan the distance. Endless green swayed gently in the sea breeze, making a pleasant rustling sound. The scene was beautiful. With the warm sun and cool sea air, he almost felt like lying down and taking a nap.
"The grass keeps getting taller… Who knows what's hiding in there? Even if there aren't any creatures, what if there's a swamp under all this?"
This question had to be considered carefully. Ethan wanted to find a stick or something similar to probe the way forward, but after looking around, he was embarrassed to find that there was nothing suitable at all.
"Forget it, I'll just make do."
He took out his staff, currently his most powerful offensive weapon and used it as a makeshift walking stick to explore the path ahead.
After walking for a while, the journey became less monotonous than it had been at the start. Ethan stopped every so often to part the grass and examine the ground beneath his feet, even using a shovel to dig now and then.
On an island like this, which resembled a plain, if there were ores or other materials, they would definitely be underground. Ethan wanted to determine whether there was soil or rock beneath their feet.
This method wasn't accurate and only allowed for rough exploration. Still, Ethan and the others didn't find anything, until Ethan uncovered a pool of clear water.
He stared at the shallow pit underfoot, about one meter in diameter, from which clear water was bubbling up. Neither Logan nor Ethan touched it right away.
"I don't know why, but I've got this strange, unsettling feeling."
Logan nodded. He instinctively reached out to hold Laura back, worried that she might rush forward out of curiosity but to his surprise, Laura was standing quietly nearby, her face serious as she stared at the spring. Unlike her usual curiosity on the ship, she made no attempt to approach.
"Even Laura senses something's wrong."
Ethan glanced at the two of them, then looked around again. Everything still looked the same as before, endless green grass, warm sunlight, and a cool sea breeze, accompanied by a strong drowsiness.
"Something's off."
Ethan suddenly realized the issue. His spiritual power far exceeded that of ordinary people, and when he was well-rested, he wouldn't feel the urge to sleep so suddenly. No matter how comfortable the environment, he'd normally just lie down and enjoy it calmly. If it were just his own whim, he could have brushed it off but the growing urge to sleep was proof that something was wrong.
He took a small device from his waist and collected a sample of the water to test its components. The machine, built by Tony Stark, was extremely powerful and provided the analysis instantly, displaying the results directly on Ethan's glasses.
"How is it?"
Seeing Ethan's odd expression, Logan knew the results weren't normal. Ethan then gave an answer that surprised him.
"This water is filled with abundant life force… Actually, calling it water isn't quite accurate."
"Oh?"
"It's more like a living organism… that's turned into a liquid form."
(To be continued.)
***
Junkdog's Note: Looks like I forgot to give bonus for last week's 600 PS.
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