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

Ethan reacted swiftly. This little creature had only shown that expression once before, when it first saw him. There could only be one explanation for that look.

"Someone's behind me!"

There was no time to wonder why the scouting glasses hadn't detected the intruder or why he hadn't sensed anything earlier. Thinking about it now was pointless. The enemy had already gotten this close; the immediate priority was to counter the sneak attack.

Almost simultaneously with Ethan touching the Book of Inheritance, a figure materialized behind him in an eerie, silent manner. The short blade in the figure's hand absorbed the surrounding light as it stabbed toward Ethan's vital point.

Hum!

A white energy shield burst into existence. The lightless blade struck the shield with a strange humming sound, and Ethan, not yet fully turned around, was shocked to see the shield disintegrating at an alarming rate.

"Anti-magic?"

This phenomenon was familiar to all mages. Even if they'd never encountered it firsthand, every mage would have read about it in numerous texts.

Anti-magic, the nightmare of every spellcaster. Some opponents specialized in this ability specifically to hunt mages. Others obtained weapons imbued with this dangerous property.

Ethan didn't know which type of enemy he was dealing with, but that didn't stop him from trying to kill them.

As soon as his hand touched the Book of Inheritance to cast the shield, Ethan simultaneously drew the battle cross from his side. The transparent energy blade slashed toward the enemy. Even if he couldn't land a killing blow, forcing them to retreat would buy him some breathing room.

The enemy moved with astonishing speed. Just as Ethan's counterattack struck, the figure retreated, vanishing into thin air as though it had never been there.

Ethan glanced at the damaged portion of the shield. The disintegration had stopped spreading. That meant the enemy's anti-magic ability wasn't overwhelming, it was still within manageable limits.

"Auriel, is the enemy still here?"

Auriel was the creature that vaguely resembled a kitten. Ethan had named it casually, taking the first syllable from Aurora, the Goddess of Dawn. It was a symbolic gesture, a subtle declaration of ownership, even if Auriel itself was unaware of the implication.

The little creature disliked the unfamiliar name and had expressed its displeasure multiple times. Unfortunately for it, Ethan remained resolute. Auriel it was, no matter how much the little thing protested.

In any other situation, Auriel would have ignored Ethan. But now, with its freedom to devour magic stones potentially at stake, the creature recognized the importance of cooperation. Its round eyes scanned the surroundings before it raised a paw and pointed firmly toward a shadowy corner.

The spot Auriel indicated was unusually dark, even in daylight. Someone hiding there would be hard to notice without prior warning.

Ethan didn't hesitate. He tapped into the water element stored in his wristband, pulling moisture from the air and condensing it into countless droplets. The droplets swirled into a vortex, forming a water-filled tornado that surged into the corner.

The freezing air turned the droplets into ice crystals within moments, and those crystals clung to a humanoid outline, layer by layer.

Ethan's battle cross whistled through the air as the energy blade slashed toward the newly revealed enemy. The figure reacted quickly, hurling something from its waist while diving sideways into a roll.

"What is that...?"

Ethan instinctively stopped his movements. The moment his glasses detected a sudden surge of energy, he switched to sunglasses mode without conscious thought.

These reactions were pure muscle memory, honed through over six months of intensive combat training with Diana. Many actions, like switching the lenses to sunglasses mode, were done without thinking, primarily to avoid being blinded by the flash of an explosion.

Unexpectedly, what the enemy had thrown wasn't an explosive but a flashbang designed to release an intense burst of light. Simultaneously, as the enemy rolled to Ethan's side, the short blade in his hand stabbed toward Ethan once again.

"This guy... what's going on?"

The enemy's combat style was completely different from the ones Ethan had encountered before. Unlike those who preferred direct confrontation, this one fought like an assassin, striking swiftly, retreating immediately if the blow missed, and then hiding to wait for another opportunity.

What puzzled Ethan even more was the sheer determination to kill him.

Although he had many questions, his actions weren't delayed. Almost simultaneously, Ethan pulled a small device from his waist, crushed it in his hand, and unleashed its effect. His sunglasses protected his vision, allowing him to act without hesitation.

The device was a simple gadget Ethan had crafted in the past few days, using a low-quality magic stone sourced from the island. Its purpose was straightforward: to emit a sudden, blinding burst of light, a magic-stone-powered version of a flashbang. While less effective than the flashbangs Ethan had brought back from the biohazard world, it worked perfectly here because of how quickly and discreetly he deployed it.

Caught off guard, the enemy was blinded instantly. But to Ethan's surprise, the opponent reacted admirably. Rather than panicking, the enemy immediately shifted direction and accelerated, trying to escape while regaining his vision.

Unfortunately for him, Ethan had already set the trap.

The fleeing man didn't get far before crashing, head-on, into the invisible interior of the magic shield. The impact was so sudden and forceful that the man nearly knocked himself out.

"I suggest you stay still… unless you'd like a hole in your chest."

The enemy froze. He couldn't see Ethan, but his instincts told him the warning wasn't an empty threat.

"Now, take off your gear and show me your face."

Despite their prolonged battle, Ethan hadn't caught a clear glimpse of the man's face. The ice crystals that had clung to the figure earlier had fallen away during the fight, leaving only a vague human outline distorted by some unknown effect.

Ethan suspected the enemy was using special equipment, something akin to the high-tech stealth cloaks he'd seen in sci-fi movies from his previous life.

The enemy hesitated, then complied. The invisibility effect faded, revealing an unfamiliar face. Ethan was certain he had never seen this man before.

What caught Ethan's attention more than the man's face was his equipment. The design looked remarkably futuristic: a tight-fitting suit reinforced with sleek metal plates on the arms and chest. The streamlined build minimized surface area, enhancing mobility and stealth.

Upon closer inspection, Ethan noticed several magic stones embedded in critical parts of the gear. The stones were well-camouflaged, appearing seamlessly integrated into the design. To the untrained eye, there was no sign of magical components but Ethan's sensitivity to energy made the deception useless.

What truly intrigued him was the lack of any detectable magical fluctuations during the enemy's stealth. Neither Ethan nor his scouting glasses had sensed anything until the attack was imminent.

Still, this wasn't the time for technical curiosity. Ethan pressed the energy blade of his battle cross against the man's chest.

"Who are you? Why did you try to kill me?"

The man's eyes widened in surprise, and his response left Ethan speechless.

"I'm here for the resources. Isn't it normal to kill you and take everything for myself?"

Ethan almost forgot, this world was a place where murder and robbery were everyday occurrences. The sea devoured the weak, and humans did the same to each other. The resources on this island were more than sufficient for both parties to prosper, but greed often defied logic.

"That's it?"

"Yeah. That's it."

Ethan fell silent for a moment, then shook his head. "Sorry, but I don't believe you."

As he spoke, he pushed the energy blade an inch deeper. The weapon pierced through the armor, cutting into the flesh beneath it.

"Wait, wait! I'll talk!"

"Go on."

Ethan wasn't in a hurry. He had patience but there was no need to let the man know that.

"Someone hired me to assassinate you. They've got a grudge against you..."

Ethan chuckled softly. At that moment, he was certain the man was lying.

"Do you know something?"

The enemy, confused by the sudden question, instinctively answered, "What?"

"I don't have many enemies," Ethan said, his tone calm. "And the only one who might try something like this wouldn't send a person to do it."

He emphasized the word person and didn't care if the man understood the implication.

"As for the rest of my enemies? I've already taken care of them myself."

T/N: About the battle cross, you can think of it like something Arthur used in Fire Force.