Ethan didn't mind having one more person. His ship was getting bigger, and with more open space, having a few additional companions would make the living quarters feel more lively.

If he were to go back to the solo adventuring mode with just one ship… he wouldn't even need a large battleship. A spacecraft the size of Star-Lord's Milano would be enough.

That said, it wasn't like just anyone could board Ethan's ship. The most important factor was that Ethan couldn't find them repulsive.

Take Evelyn and O'Connell, for example. They became part of the crew by chance, but Ethan didn't bother to kick them off. Even Jonathan, who loved causing trouble, was still living quite comfortably on the ship.

Ultimately, it all came down to one thing—Ethan didn't dislike them.

This was Ethan's ship. Whoever he wanted on board could stay on board. So whether Galahad could accompany Mordred depended entirely on Ethan. No one else had any say in the matter.

Now that Ethan didn't mind, everyone simply welcomed their new companions, even though they knew these two might only stay for a while.

Over the next few days, Galahad and Mordred frequently met with everyone to get familiar with their future companions.

Of course, Mordred didn't think of this on her own. These were reminders from Arthur and her mother Morgan. Galahad also gave her a few subtle hints.

Besides, Mordred was curious about Ethan's companions and very eager to demonstrate her strength—or more accurately, to beat them all into submission with her overwhelming power.

Then, she got beaten into submission herself.

At first, Mordred challenged Logan, who looked the most intimidating and radiated a dangerous aura.

These days, Logan had significantly toned down his rough demeanor. Having taken part in several wars, countless mutant conflicts, and fought continuously for nearly two centuries, Logan now gave off the impression of a seasoned warrior, like a divine weapon soaked in the blood of countless enemies.

Even when he was in his twilight years, with his body deteriorating, he had merely become a dusty blade. Anyone experienced or sharp-eyed could still see the hidden edge.

After Ethan healed his body, Logan gradually regained his former sharpness. In the past two years, training in the Way of Nature had further tempered his aura. Though he now seemed calmer, he still exuded an overwhelming sense of power.

Naturally, Mordred set her sights on him first.

Finally annoyed, Logan agreed to spar. When Mordred lunged at a vital point, Logan didn't dodge but met the attack head-on. While Mordred was still stunned from the sudden move, Logan used his body to trap her weapon and knocked her out with a heavy punch.

Logan's brutal fighting style caught not only Mordred off guard but also shocked the watching knights. Galahad and Gawain, both Knights of the Round Table, widened their eyes in astonishment.

They reacted quickly and rushed into the ring. One checked on Mordred, the other checked on Logan.

Having been through countless battles, Logan understood their concern—they were afraid he might follow up with more attacks, which was why they intervened so swiftly. But Logan didn't mind. After all, they were Knights of the Round Table, and Mordred was already positioned to inherit the throne. It would have been strange if they didn't react.

"Mr. Logan, please don't pull the sword... don't pull it out..."

Before Galahad could finish his sentence, Logan had already pulled the sword out of his body and was inspecting it. At the same time, the wound on his body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. In the blink of an eye, apart from the bloodstains, there was no trace of the injury.

"This…"

Now Galahad understood why Logan used such brutal tactics. This kind of life-risking combat style could be seen on the battlefield, but no knight would use it in a formal duel. That was precisely why Mordred had been caught off guard.

If this had been a battlefield and an enemy soldier fought so recklessly, Mordred would have handled it easily. But because she didn't expect it here, her hesitation led to her being knocked out.

Of course, after regaining consciousness, Mordred was unconvinced and challenged Logan again.

Then... her weapon was sliced into pieces by Logan's adamantium claws, and he ended the match by placing his claws at her throat, leaving her frozen.

After being instantly defeated twice, Mordred wasn't stupid. She could tell that the gap between her and Logan wasn't small.

Not only in strength, but Gawain—who was quite experienced himself—could also tell that Logan had an incredible amount of battle experience. His movements were smooth, efficient, and made use of every opportunity. He was clearly a veteran warrior.

From physical condition to weapons to experience, Logan completely outclassed Mordred. Her loss was only natural.

Even Gawain felt tempted to spar with Logan, but when he thought about Logan's regenerative ability and his capacity to take fatal blows and counterattack, he wasn't sure how to deal with such a combat style and decided to hold off.

Mordred didn't think that far. After getting schooled by Logan, she switched targets.

This time, she chose Diana.

Looking around, only Diana and O'Connell had the appearance of warriors. O'Connell gave off a similar aura to Logan, so she assumed he would also have a rough, aggressive fighting style.

She wanted to try a different type of opponent. Surely a female warrior wouldn't fight as ruthlessly, right?

So she got an even worse beating.

Diana didn't mind. The Amazons of Themyscira loved battle and were especially fond of sparring.

Even though Diana was a demigoddess, she had been raised as an Amazon and had that blood running through her veins.

She also had another reason. After all, if she fought with full power, Mordred wouldn't even leave behind a puff of dust. This wasn't really a match. It was a lesson.

The scene of Arthur training a young Diana one-on-one replayed itself now—except this time, the roles were reversed.

Because Mordred was so gifted, she hadn't spent as much time on foundational training as Arthur had in his youth. Her current strength relied heavily on her talent, which gave Diana plenty of chances to point out her flaws.

Thanks to the overwhelming difference in strength, Diana allowed Mordred to attack freely without worrying about injury, and she would counter whenever she saw an opening.

It didn't leave any lasting injuries, but it definitely hurt.

In the five-minute match, Mordred was thrown around countless times, her body covered in dust and dirt. She was completely disheveled and what made it worse was that she couldn't even ask to stop. Every time she thought about surrendering, Diana would somehow sense it and immediately launch a new wave of fierce attacks, leaving her no chance to speak.

Occasionally, shouts rang out from the training ground:

"Too much force!"

"You're swinging that sword too wildly. If you miss, do you plan to show your back to the enemy?"

"Are you paying attention to your footing? That side's completely unguarded!"

"Are you wielding a sword or swinging an iron bar?"

The lesson went on for ten full minutes, a one-sided beatdown that nearly drove Mordred mad. She finally realized she was about to join an incredibly strong team and that her current level was, to these people, like that of a child.

Although, to be fair, she was still just a child.

Mordred didn't issue any more challenges. Her pride had taken enough damage, and she needed time to recover.

She should consider herself lucky. The opponents she picked were the most reasonable ones.

Logan found it troublesome. Since Mordred was still a child, he chose the simplest, most efficient way to make her recognize the difference in strength and leave it at that. At worst, he'd take a stab wound—not a big deal for him.

Diana, having received sword training from Arthur in the past, held a certain emotional connection, which was why she took the time to guide Mordred.

If she had chosen Selene or Ada...

Selene, once a vampire and now something between human and vampire, would've seen Mordred as a convenient punching bag to test her newly mastered spells and evaluate their combat effectiveness.

As for Ada, she might've just had fun messing with Mordred. This elite spy, much like Nick Fury, always played mysterious. No one knew how many hidden cards she had up her sleeve.

Even if she didn't reveal her real strength in the match, Mordred wouldn't be able to handle her—superhuman physical strength and the Nebula Chain Ethan had given her were more than enough.

Even the non-combatants Jonathan and Evelyn weren't opponents Mordred could handle in her current state. After all, both had gone through a second enhancement, and their physical capabilities had already surpassed human limits.

In Arthur's world, while there were powerful mages like Merlin, most people had not surpassed human limits. Only a few exceptional individuals, through special blessings or items, had achieved superhuman strength.

For instance, Gawain, who was nearby, and Mordred, who was born with magic due to a magical accident.

But Mordred was still too young. Although she already had strength on par with many adults, she hadn't yet reached the human limit. If she continued growing and her magic kept improving and enhancing her physique, in ten years, she might be comparable to the current Ada.

If she worked hard, she might even catch up to Logan.

As for Diana… just give up and go to bed.

(To be continued.)

***

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