This Ocean is Too Fantastical

He quickly rescued the two people who had fallen into the water and then asked if there were any other survivors. After receiving a negative answer, Ethan quickly turned the boat around and sped away from that area.

His boat was too small. Although he was still some distance from the storm's range, the mere aftershocks made him feel like his little boat could capsize at any moment.

It wasn't until he was far away and the waves gradually subsided that Ethan felt a little relieved. He looked back and saw that the storm didn't seem to be moving in his direction. Only then did he have time to examine the two people he had rescued. One was a slightly thin man around forty years old, with the marks of time etched on his still somewhat handsome face. The other was around thirty, in the prime of his life, and the rippling muscles clearly visible through his soaked clothes confirmed this.

"Thank you very much for saving our lives."

The older man, after drinking a few sips of water and recovering, immediately expressed his gratitude and then handed the wooden ladle to the person next to him.

It was clear that both were experienced sailors. They drank the water very carefully, afraid of wasting even a drop, despite having just escaped danger and not having had water for who knows how long.

"You're welcome."

After the other man finished drinking, Ethan took the wooden ladle back and put it away. Only then did he ask about their ordeal.

The two were indeed experienced sailors. The older one was named Wood, and the younger one was named Rodney. They had been sailing in this area for several years and had accumulated some wealth.

Wood had a decent sailboat and a few good helpers by his side. They had been working on this sea for several years and had finally made up their minds a few days ago: to cross the Sea of Storms and head to new waters.

It was only at this point that Ethan learned about the wonders of this world from Wood.

What this world was like was still unclear. Although Wood had been sailing for several years, he only knew that the sea beneath their feet was called the Sea of Tranquility, a relatively 'peaceful' area.

How big was the Sea of Tranquility? Wood didn't know, only that it was very large! However, he was very certain that the Sea of Tranquility was not boundless.

Around the Sea of Tranquility, there were constant gales, storms, lightning, and thunder, like walls surrounding the Sea of Tranquility. These stormy areas that tightly enclosed the Sea of Tranquility were called the Sea of Storms by everyone.

Compared to the edges, which were more dangerous, the center of the Sea of Tranquility was safer. There were no big winds or waves, and marine life was abundant. For those who sailed the seas year-round, as long as they ensured a sufficient supply of drinking water, they didn't need to worry too much about food.

"Even if we can't find an island, we can find enough food from the sea to last until we get back to Stat Island to resupply."

As for the issue of small islands that Ethan had been wondering about, he hadn't seen a single island, let alone a reef, since he set sail.

Regarding this, Wood said that although it was amazing and unbelievable, the most magical thing about the Sea of Tranquility was these islands that appeared and disappeared suddenly.

"They might suddenly pop up, then quickly become covered with various plants and fruits, and then these plants would suddenly wither and die, and the entire island would sink to the bottom of the sea, never to be seen again."

These islands, which were said to suddenly emerge from the seabed and quickly become covered with lush vegetation and abundant fruit, varied in how long they lasted. Wood said he had seen some that only existed for a few days before sinking into the seabed and disappearing.

It was said that throughout the Sea of Tranquility, only Stat Island was an island that never sank, and its area was not small, making it almost the center for everyone living on this sea.

Besides Stat Island, there were only a few places with a few very small islands, and they were very far apart. The place Ethan used to live was one of them.

"So, those people who left the islands and went out to sea before, did they all go to this large island called Stat Island?"

Unfortunately, Wood quickly gave a negative answer.

"It's a pity that although Stat Island is not small, it cannot accommodate so many people. Only a very small number of people can settle on the island long-term. Most people still have to venture out to sea to make a living, relying on finding those suddenly appearing islands and collecting resources from them to exchange for what they need to survive."

Wood looked at Ethan: "Young man, you look like you've just left your hometown..."

"Yes!" Ethan briefly introduced himself, but most of the details were omitted. He only said that his parents at home had passed away, and he didn't want to stay, so he came out to explore.

As soon as he said this, he noticed that Rodney, who had been silent, showed a look of surprise as if thinking 'this guy is an idiot,' but he quickly controlled his expression. If Ethan hadn't been cultivating his mental strength during these days, which slightly enhanced his senses, he probably wouldn't have noticed.

Wood, however, said with a smile, "Young man, you have a lot of courage. Although this Sea of Tranquility looks good, drifting on the sea year-round searching for islands that appear out of nowhere is not a very pleasant life."

As for advising Ethan not to dream and to go home and live a stable life, he didn't say anything like that. Perhaps he had seen too many young people with dreams?

"What kind of things are worth collecting on those islands?"

Finally, having a general understanding of what this world was like, Ethan found it a bit absurd, but since he had already transmigrated and had a magical compass, it wasn't a big deal if this world was a little stranger.

"Food, minerals, wood... as long as you can carry it, almost everything you see can be collected and exchanged for the supplies you need on Stat Island. You can even order ships, recruit sailors, and so on..."

Ethan understood. Everything that could be found was useful. After all, in a world full of sea, it could be said that everything was lacking, so naturally everything was useful.

Stat Island was like a town in an online game, helping adventurers transform the resources they found into what they needed and selling them back, maintaining the survival of everyone here in this way.

"It seems there should still be a ruler with considerable power on this island." Without absolute power, it would be impossible to make everyone act according to the rules he set.

Wood's basic knowledge enlightenment for Ethan, the rookie, continued, and all the basic common sense about the Sea of Tranquility was poured into Ethan's brain.

He finally knew that there was indeed no concept of east, south, west, or north in this world. Their way of telling direction was the direction the sun rose and set.

"If we sail in the direction the sun rises now, we can reach Stat Island. If you really want to make a living at sea, then I suggest you go to the Navigator's Guild on the island and apply for membership first."

"What is that?"

As Wood explained, Ethan gained a deeper understanding of this world.

The Navigator's Guild provided some conveniences for adventurers who made a living at sea, such as providing basic food, clothing, housing, and transportation; helping to store resources that were not needed temporarily and were difficult to sell, or selling these resources on their behalf; it also provided an open trading platform; in addition, personal property could be stored in the Navigator's Guild's personal account, and so on.

At the same time, the guild also provided some conveniences for adventurers, such as prioritizing the provision of some rare resources, and even prioritizing helping guild members repair or build ships.

"And when you have enough excellent crew members and a sturdy ship, then you can try to cross the safest route through the Sea of Storms to reach new waters and get closer to the legendary Endless Land..."

Wood had mentioned before that he and his companions only tried to cross the Sea of Storms when they felt they were strong enough. Starting from Stat Island and sailing directly in the direction the sun set was the safest route through the Sea of Storms.

However, calling it the safest route was only relative to crossing the Sea of Storms from other locations. This route had smaller storms, weaker waves, and no lightning or thunder.

Obviously, Wood failed. Fortunately, they hadn't gone too far into the Sea of Storms, and he and Rodney thus saved their lives and managed to hold on until Ethan rescued them.

After talking for a long time, Wood leaned there and fell asleep. He and Rodney had been in the sea for who knows how long, and their physical strength had long reached its limit.

It was only the extreme excitement and joy after being rescued that kept him in a state of exhilaration, allowing him to tell Ethan so much. Once this feeling passed and the fatigue irresistibly surged up, he could no longer hold on and slept like a log.

Rodney also slept soundly. Even though he was curled up and couldn't stretch out, he didn't show any sign of waking up due to discomfort.

The small wooden boat wasn't big to begin with, already crammed with stuff, and now three more people were squeezed in. Ethan looked around and decided to just lean against a pile of miscellaneous items by the rudder to make do for the night.

The lesson of never letting down his guard was a constant reminder. He didn't dare to relax and sleep soundly, so he simply used the excuse of traveling to sail through the night, only closing his eyes for a quick rest when he had a moment.

The next few days were relatively calm. Ethan remained vigilant, and Wood and Rodney didn't seem to have any malicious intent. Wood continued to teach Ethan some basic common knowledge, while Rodney remained as quiet as ever. The three of them, on their small boat, sailed straight to the largest unsinkable island in the Sea of Tranquility: Stat Island.

The small boat found a spot in Stat Island's bustling harbor and docked. The three of them finally stepped onto solid ground again and officially said their goodbyes.

"Your life-saving kindness is hard to repay. Ethan, if you ever need anything from me in the future, you can leave a message for me at the Guild. Just say it's for Wood, captain of the Swordfish."

Most people in this world didn't seem to have surnames, so to avoid confusion with people having the same name, they would specifically add extra annotations. The Navigator's Guild's method was to differentiate people based on their registered ship names.

"And here, take this, consider it payment for the food these past few days." As he spoke, Wood pulled out a small red stone and pressed it into Ethan's hand. "This is a Fire Magic Stone. It should be of some use to you."