This time, the stairs were no longer endless and out of sight. Ethan saw the exit as soon as he stepped onto the steps, so he only brought dry food, water, and a wooden stick as a weapon, not carrying too many things.
After stepping onto the stairs, his blurred memories became clear again. At that moment, he looked back at the seemingly boundless sea and suddenly felt a hint of dread. If he hadn't found the correct method in time, would he have had to keep living in that world?
"My current body is that of an ordinary person. Although there are no signs of aging, if my lifespan is suppressed to an ordinary level, it means I could actually die here..."
Just thinking about that outcome was terrifying.
To die alone in a place no one knows about... It'd be great if Abraham couldn't pass this trial and just kicked the bucket.
"My test should be different from his, right?"
A world full of oceans was clearly connected to his own past. Abraham should be encountering a different environment.
By this point, Ethan could roughly guess the nature of the Tower of Babel's trial. The next stage would likely be about regaining his power.
"I just hope I don't 'lose my memory' again."
He really hoped not. That feeling was incredibly unpleasant. Because of that worry, when he reached the end of the stairs and stood before the glowing door, he didn't step through right away.
"Maybe I should do something?"
Although he could now sense his power, he was still essentially an ordinary person. He had no means to protect his memories. In this situation, there didn't seem to be anything he could do.
Every time something like this happened, he wanted to kill that old man.
Sighing, Ethan stepped into the glowing door.
There was no dizziness or sense of falling. It was as if he passed through a thin film, and the next second, Ethan clearly saw his surroundings.
...
After the vast ocean last time, now he was in the wilderness?
It looked like a plain, with no signs of human activity nearby. That meant no visible roads, no man-made structures, and so on.
Seeing the current environment, Ethan could only look for higher ground to survey the area.
There was a hill not far away. The spot he was standing on was already relatively elevated, and by walking a bit farther, he could reach a higher vantage point.
The view was decent. Ethan looked around, still not recognizing the place, but he did see a person riding a horse in the distance, moving along at a steady pace.
"Finally, a living person."
After who knows how many years of loneliness at sea, Ethan now especially appreciated seeing people. He didn't even need to talk to them. Just seeing someone was enough to bring joy.
However, the pressing matter was to quickly get down the hill. Otherwise, he would only be able to watch the person ride away.
Turning around, he quickly descended the slope, precisely calculating the distance between them and controlling his pace. He didn't charge recklessly. If he did, he might be too exhausted to continue by the time he arrived.
He had to manage his stamina well and intercept the person at an appropriate location.
Ethan's calculations were spot on. He reached his chosen spot early and waited there while recovering some energy.
He didn't know the identity or temperament of the rider, so he had to remain cautious. He held onto his wooden stick, his only usable weapon.
With his excellent physical fitness, extensive combat experience, and practiced techniques, as long as the person wasn't something inhuman, he had confidence he could handle it.
But when he clearly saw the man's face, he froze for a moment.
"Uh... Logan?"
The man on horseback wore black clothes and trousers, a thick leather coat, and a black hat. A long sword hung at his waist, and various other weapons were visible in his satchel.
What caught Ethan's attention most was that this man looked just like Logan, except with a slightly thinner beard.
"You've got the wrong person."
The man gave Ethan a cold glance, clearly not planning to stop. He nudged his horse to circle around Ethan and continue forward. But when Ethan remained in his path, the man swiftly pulled a crossbow from his satchel and aimed it at the stranger who had suddenly appeared.
Ethan raised both hands to show he meant no harm and smiled slightly. He already knew who this man was.
"Relax, I just want to ask a few questions."
"I don't know anything. Go ask someone else."
Ethan didn't step aside. He smiled and gestured to himself. "You can tell I'm in a bit of a predicament. I just want to know where I am. If possible, I'd appreciate it if you could take me to the nearest town."
The man continued watching him warily, keeping the crossbow trained on him.
"If you don't want to die, don't travel with me."
"Is it really that dangerous?" Ethan casually swung the wooden stick in his hand. "I'm not helpless. I wouldn't have survived this long otherwise."
He understood why the man was so on guard. A stranger suddenly appearing in the wilderness would make anyone suspicious.
If this man really was who Ethan suspected, he might even think Ethan was a spy sent by an enemy.
"If you really want to find a town, just head that way."
Ethan noticed that the direction he pointed was the same one he had just come from. He slightly twisted his body and asked, pointing the other way, "Traveling alone is too risky. Can't I tag along with you?"
"Traveling with me isn't a good idea. It won't do you any good."
"At least it won't be so boring."
The man, who looked exactly like Logan, put away the crossbow and shook his head. He no longer tried to talk Ethan out of it. Instead, he nudged his horse forward, seemingly too lazy to bother with him anymore.
Ethan couldn't let him leave just like that. In this world, he didn't have many choices. While following this man might be dangerous, it would also connect him to the plot. He needed to understand the conditions for clearing the trial. He didn't believe this encounter was a coincidence.
"My name is Ethan."
...
"Your outfit really resembles someone from the legends."
...
"Are you that guy?"
"No."
"You denied it so fast even though I didn't say who. If you really wanted to cover it up, you should've put more effort into your answer."
...
"Van Helsing, who are you hunting this time?"
...
Van Helsing suddenly pulled the reins and aimed his crossbow at Ethan again. "Who are you really? Who sent you?"
This time, he dismounted and stood on the ground. Besides the crossbow in his hand, his long sword was within easy reach.
"No one sent me. I've just heard of you before."
Van Helsing ignored his explanation and stared directly into his eyes, his finger resting on the trigger. The crossbow in his hand could turn Ethan into a pincushion at any moment.
He noticed that Ethan didn't show any fear. That alone told him this man wasn't ordinary.
"Did Selene send you?"
"No... wait, who did you say?" Ethan instinctively wanted to deny it, but once he realized the name, he asked back in surprise, "Selene?"
Could it be a coincidence? But hearing that name from Van Helsing's mouth was strange.
Van Helsing saw Ethan's confusion. Had he guessed wrong? Was this guy not a spy sent by Selene?
"Who exactly are you?"
"I already told you. I'm just a lost ordinary person."
"An ordinary person wouldn't react like that. And your reaction... you seem to know Selene, but also like you don't really know her?"
"I know a woman named Selene, but I don't think she's the one you're talking about."
Van Helsing studied Ethan's expression carefully. After confirming he wasn't lying, he lowered his crossbow. But his hand remained on his short sword, ready to strike if needed.
"You don't have to be so on guard."
"If you can tell I'm being cautious, then my caution is justified."
"Alright..."
Ethan shrugged. He really wanted to ask more about Selene.
"Who exactly is the Selene you mentioned just now?"
"You really don't know?"
Ethan shook his head, and Van Helsing gave him a simple explanation.
"Countess Selene is the ruler of Transylvania. She didn't draw much attention before, but recently, the Vatican has been receiving a steady stream of intelligence about her. According to the reports, she's completely fallen, become a bloodthirsty monster, and is ruling Transylvania with darkness and terror..."
Listening to his description, Ethan felt uneasy. The story itself wasn't unusual, but applying it to Selene felt strange.
Brutal? Bloodthirsty? Darkness?
Aside from the last one, none of those matched the Selene he knew. But why would she have the same name?
A coincidence? Ethan refused to believe that.
"What's wrong?"
Van Helsing had been watching his expression closely and noticed Ethan's face becoming more serious as he spoke.
"I've decided to go meet this Countess Selene."
Van Helsing's brows furrowed. He had made the danger of Transylvania very clear, hoping it would scare Ethan off. But this guy wanted to go even more.
"Is there a reason?"
"I want to see if this Countess is the same Selene I know."
(To be continued.)