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

The sheer force radiating from Ethan's magic was so intense that even a blind person could sense the energy fluctuations. Hippolyta's eyes widened in shock, and for a brief moment, she felt the urge to intervene.

But on the battlefield, neither Ethan nor Diana had the attention to spare for the reactions around them. Ethan's attack was fully charged, and he took a precise aiming stance, his sights locked directly onto Diana.

For some reason, the moment she became the target of his spell, Diana felt a strange mix of emotions rising from deep within her. There was a hint of fear, but also excitement and anticipation.

"Bring it on!"

Rather than dodging or preparing a counterattack, the future Wonder Woman did what most Amazons would consider reckless, she stood her ground, ready to take Ethan's attack head-on.

"Madness!"

Some of the warriors who weren't particularly fond of Diana murmured among themselves. In their eyes, the smart move would have been to evade Ethan's spell and exploit the brief moment of vulnerability that often followed a high-powered magical attack. Instead, Diana had chosen to brace for impact, potentially putting herself in a situation where she could be seriously injured—or worse, completely incapacitated.

Even though Ethan's spell had yet to be unleashed, everyone instinctively felt that it was not something that could be taken head-on. Many of them knew they wouldn't dare to attempt it themselves.

If Ethan could hear their thoughts, he would have wholeheartedly agreed. This attack wasn't something any normal person could withstand. While the Amazons were physically superior to ordinary humans in strength and longevity, their durability wasn't limitless. Taking a hit like this would result in severe injuries, if not outright death.

Logically, Ethan shouldn't have even considered using such an attack against Diana. Initially, he hadn't planned to use much power. However, the moment he gathered energy for the spell, his enchanted glasses began displaying warnings:

High-energy reaction detected!

High-quality energy fluctuations detected!

Ongoing increase in high-energy intensity detected!

As the interface marked Diana as a high-energy response source, Ethan instinctively continued increasing his spell's intensity to test her limits.

The stronger the energy he gathered, the more intense Diana's response became. Soon, the fluctuations in her energy signature became visible to everyone present.

By this point, even the Amazons could sense the anomaly. A soft golden glow began radiating from Diana's body, filling those around her with awe.

"That is…"

Hippolyta, who had been worried just moments ago, turned to Ethan. She found him watching the scene with a satisfied smile, and suddenly, she understood his intent.

"So that's what he was aiming for…"

She thought Ethan had already achieved his goal and would now begin withdrawing his power. She assumed that this so-called practical training session was about to conclude.

But she was wrong.

Instead of stopping, Ethan amplified his attack even further. The sheer energy became so overwhelming that it seemed to surpass even his own control. The once-stable core of his magic circle began to destabilize, sending out powerful ripples and violent gusts of wind. The force was so intense that Hippolyta, despite standing at a distance, had to take several steps back to steady herself.

"The intensity of this energy…"

This was the strongest attack Ethan had ever used. It even surpassed the blast he had used against Christina because that one had been rushed. Now, with ample time to prepare and an abundance of stored energy, his attack had reached an entirely new level.

Even Diana, who had been brimming with confidence moments ago, could feel a primal fear creeping into her heart.

"Bombardment!"

A massive azure beam shot toward Diana. The explosion of light was so blinding that everyone watching momentarily lost their vision.

"No—!"

Hippolyta's panicked scream rang out. She was certain Diana couldn't endure this attack.

But when her vision returned, she was stunned.

Ethan was still channeling his spell, but the beam wasn't shooting off into the distance, it had been stopped. At the other end of the beam, a mass of golden energy blocked the attack completely.

A tense standoff ensued. As the Amazons regained their sight, they were met with a breathtaking sight:

Diana, enveloped in golden light, standing as if a true god had descended. Her arms were crossed in front of her, and the golden energy concentrated around her forearms, forming a radiant barrier that completely neutralized Ethan's attack.

This deadlock didn't last long. Ethan quickly ceased his bombardment, and without the opposing force holding her steady, Diana suddenly stumbled backward. The golden radiance surrounding her slowly faded, and by the time she steadied herself, she looked just as she always had.

But to everyone watching including Hippolyta, Diana was no longer the same.

Ethan's first priority was to check Diana's condition. To his relief, she was unharmed. Not only that, but she wasn't even exhausted, just momentarily dazed, struggling to process what had just happened.

Satisfied, Ethan then examined his staff. The gemstone at its tip, which stored magical energy, had developed a minor flaw from the overload.

"This gem needs to be replaced…"

Fortunately, he had plenty of high-quality gems from Tony that could serve as a new core, so it wasn't a major concern. At least he hadn't completely destroyed a piece of his equipment.

After storing his staff away, Ethan walked up to Diana and patted her shoulder.

"Do you remember that feeling just now?"

Diana blinked, still a bit dazed. "What do you mean?"

Ethan almost facepalmed. Did that sudden surge of divine power make her stupid?

Luckily, it wasn't that bad. She was just a little shaken. After a moment, realization dawned in her eyes.

"Oh… that feeling…" Diana hesitated before continuing. "It was strange. It felt like… like I could do anything."

"That's normal," Ethan said. "Whether human or demigod, anyone who suddenly gains immense power will experience that illusion."

Even Ethan wasn't immune to it. Despite knowing better, he could feel subtle shifts in his own thoughts and behavior as his power grew. He constantly reminded himself to stay grounded, because without that awareness, it was easy to lose control.

"That's why you need to calm down and reflect on it carefully."

"Reflect on what?"

"Your own weakness."

Ethan wasn't just saying this to Diana, he was reminding himself as well. After witnessing the sheer force of divine power firsthand, he was more acutely aware of his own limitations.

Even within this single world, he was still far from being truly powerful, let alone in the vast, infinite universe beyond.

As the crowd gradually dispersed, Ethan, Diana, and Hippolyta made their way back to the wooden house. They sat on the stools outside, continuing their discussion.

Hippolyta remained silent the entire time, simply listening as Ethan spoke to Diana.

And gradually, she began to realize, this teacher might be far better than she had expected.

"Feel the connection between yourself and the energy within you," Ethan instructed. "Only by recognizing that gap can you understand how far you are from truly mastering your power."

Diana understood what Ethan meant. Compared to the overwhelming power she had felt earlier, she now couldn't summon even the slightest bit of energy. It was as if the power that had surged through her moments ago had never existed.

"Once you recognize the gap, you'll have the motivation to move forward."

After imparting this lesson, one that even he continued to reflect on, Ethan moved on to explaining the technical details, delving deeper into the intricacies of magic.

He didn't shy away from discussing theory in front of Hippolyta, but the Amazon queen had her own sense of pride. She consciously chose to leave, giving Diana and Ethan the space to continue their training.

They practiced as they trained, pausing only to eat when hunger struck, before resuming again.

Starting with meditation to sense the energy within her body, Diana's journey into energy control was anything but smooth. Unlike ordinary energy, divine power was far more difficult to master. Many gods, even those born with such power, required centuries, if not longer to truly integrate with it and wield it freely.

Cases like Diana, where someone actively sought to cultivate divine energy through training, were rare.

And unlike traditional learning methods, most gods refined their control through relentless battle, honing their abilities through life-and-death struggles. Even the Diana of the future, the Wonder Woman known across the world had followed a similar path.

But from this moment on, this Diana was walking an entirely different road.

"A completely different Arthur… and now, it seems, a completely different Wonder Woman is emerging."

Ethan still wasn't sure whether Diana's divine power had fully awakened or if it was only partially manifesting. However, as their training continued, she gradually began to locate and tap into the energy within herself. For the first time since the battle, Ethan saw traces of divine power resurfacing.

Unfortunately, divine power was an energy far beyond his reach. He didn't dare analyze or interact with it directly, it was simply too dangerous. Even the slightest miscalculation could unravel everything he had built.

For now, all he could do was observe from a distance, studying its effects through Diana's progress.

And that, in itself, was the greatest benefit he had gained from teaching her.