“What are you doing?” The clerk sensed Ethan’s thoughts and gently shook his head. “It’s not what you think… Selecting adventurers with potential is to help them grow as quickly as possible, so they can cross the Sea of Storms sooner and search for that endless land.”

He had already lost count of how many times he’d heard this legend: that boundless, limitless land where hundreds of thousands, even millions, could live and prosper, was said to lie at the end of the sea. If only it could be found, one could live a happy and joyful life.

“Isn’t this just a story to fool people?”

Chapter 6: Danger Is Close at Hand

Whether the endless land was just a made-up legend or truly existed, Ethan still didn’t have a clear answer.

After completing his registration and receiving an unremarkable pointer, Ethan was led to a residence specifically for adventurers to rest.

Although it only had a single bedroom and a small bathroom, for adventurers who spent long periods drifting at sea, this environment was simply paradise.

A clean bed, fresh water available at will, and enough food to eat one’s fill.

“To be able to provide all this for free, this guild is even more powerful than I thought.”

Thinking back to that clerk, the mental energy that leaked out when he used the magic stone made Ethan realize that the always-smiling guy was definitely not someone to mess with.

“So, what should I do next?”

Ethan took out the magic stone that Wood had given him. This was the only thing he had that could be exchanged for resources. Other than that, there were only the clothes and books from Eleanor, neither of which were worth much and couldn’t be traded for enough supplies to support another sea voyage.

“So… I really don’t have a choice, do I?”

The magic stone from Wood was his only hope for the next voyage. If he had to keep it, he’d have to rely on water creation spells and gathering food from the sea, hoping to find an island—or spatial energy—in the shortest time possible.

“Pinning your hopes on the unknown… once is enough.”

Moreover, after reading the materials provided by the guild, Ethan was beginning to understand the survival rules of this world: adventurers collect resources to exchange for items that increase their chances of survival, like better ships, and then use those better foundations to find more resources, continuing to strengthen themselves.

This cycle was the most basic survival law of the sea, and the rule the Adventurers’ Guild strove to maintain.

“Exchanging this magic stone for enough food is the bottom line. I can skip preparing water… No, that would be too conspicuous, I still need to prepare some.”

Having decided on a direction, Ethan’s mind raced as he planned his next steps.

“If possible, I should get a new boat as soon as I can. My little boat is too lacking in both capacity and safety—a slightly bigger wave could capsize it. Even if I don’t drown, I’d lose my supplies.”

What he wasn’t sure about was the price of boats in this world. Maybe it wasn’t a goal he could achieve in the short term. If so, he’d have to limit his range of activity.

Looking at the pointer he’d received earlier, this unremarkable device from the guild actually had an important function—it could point to floating islands within a certain range, helping adventurers find their targets more quickly.

In addition, there was a knob on the outside of the box. With a simple twist, the pointer would indicate the direction of Stat Island, so adventurers could always find their way “home” no matter how far they sailed.

Putting the pointer away, Ethan continued his basic mental training. Even if he couldn’t see much progress, he persisted, because it was the only way he knew to get stronger.

“This world… might not be as peaceful as it looks…”

Danger, in fact, was never far away. And being a good person didn’t mean everyone would treat you kindly.

“I hope I’m just being paranoid…”

After a good night’s rest, Ethan didn’t waste any time. He went straight to the guild hall to trade in his magic stone.

He didn’t choose the market, since there were too many people and he lacked the means to protect himself—who knew what might happen there.

The guild was much safer, even if the commission meant he’d get a slightly worse price.

In fact, things turned out much better than Ethan had expected. The guild didn’t cheat him; they even told him directly: this was a high-quality combat magic stone, enough to exchange for plenty of supplies and still have a surplus. If he only wanted food and water, it would be enough for Ethan to live comfortably on the island for quite a while.

“Can I exchange it for a boat?”

Not only did Ethan’s question not draw ridicule, it actually earned him an approving look from the guild staff, as if they saw him in a better light—apparently, the guild really was committed to cultivating outstanding adventurers and was tired of those just muddling through.

Although he didn’t know what hidden motives there might be, for now, this situation was in Ethan’s favor.

“What size boat do you need?”