NOVEL NEXT Chapter 117: Chapter 117 (BONUS)
Day by day, Diana gradually became able to sense and even stimulate the energy within her body through meditation.
At this point, it was time to move on to the next stage of training.
"I can now control a small portion of the power inside me. What should I do next?"
Diana was eager to understand the effects of this training. It was entirely different from the physical combat and weapons training she had undergone before, and she had no idea what kind of improvements she could expect once she fully mastered this power.
Her curiosity stemmed from her lack of understanding, so she asked directly.
"Manipulating different energies leads to different effects, depending on the properties of the energy."
Ethan was patient. While continuing his own training, he carefully observed Diana's progress and the unique characteristics of divine power.
"The divine power inside you is constantly refining your body, making you stronger and more perfect, so you can better wield the strength that divine power grants you."
At first glance, this seemed to imply that Diana would become powerful even if she did nothing, making active training seem unnecessary.
"But this kind of training allows you to control and apply your power in a more precise and efficient way. It accelerates your growth and enables you to develop a body strong enough to fully harness this energy at an earlier stage."
When left to work on its own, divine power reshaped the body in a broad and gradual manner. However, this natural transformation lacked specificity and efficiency, leading to some degree of wasted energy.
For example, if Diana's agility or speed had already reached its current limit, further refinement in that area wouldn't yield any improvement. Yet, her divine power wouldn't stop channeling energy there, leading to unnecessary consumption.
Ethan's goal was to help Diana gain full control over her energy and direct it toward areas that needed improvement. When one attribute hit its temporary limit, she could focus on enhancing another, breaking through her current stage more efficiently. By eliminating wasted energy, she could accelerate the transformation from human to demigod.
Additionally, mastering her energy would have direct applications in combat. Even if Diana wasn't naturally inclined toward magic, learning to create an energy shield or similar defensive techniques would still give her an extra layer of protection.
"Can I shape my energy into anything I want?"
"Of course. As long as you achieve absolute control over it, you can shape it however you desire."
Instead of considering decorative or aesthetic manifestations of energy, Diana's first thought was to use it to create weapons. She wanted to avoid being caught empty-handed in battle again.
She also recalled Ethan's last attack, the concentrated energy beam and found herself wondering just how powerful it would be if she unleashed her own divine power in a similar manner.
With a clear goal in mind, Diana became even more focused on her training. As time passed, the changes in her body became increasingly apparent.
Her physical strength reached astonishing levels, and the growth in her speed and raw power left Ethan speechless.
Some of his simpler spells could no longer affect her at all. More notably, her resistance to magic was increasing at an unprecedented rate, something that hadn't been explicitly emphasized in the original movie's portrayal of Wonder Woman.
Initially, Ethan had planned to caution Diana about excessive energy consumption, advising her to regulate the flow and avoid waste.
However, he soon realized that, while her divine power was still being consumed at a high rate, the improvements to her raw physical attributes had slowed. Instead, her resistance to magic was growing at an accelerated pace.
That was when Ethan understood, this shift wasn't a conscious decision by Diana. It was an instinctive adaptation.
"Looks like I made a lasting impression on her… a very, very deep one."
Beyond her growing strength and magic resistance, Diana's appearance was also changing. She was beginning to resemble the Wonder Woman that Ethan remembered from his past life.
The transformation of divine power was all-encompassing.
Not only did it enhance strength, speed, and endurance, but it also influenced body proportions and facial features. Diana's once-normal appearance was gradually becoming more refined and flawless.
If not for the Amazons witnessing these changes unfold day by day, anyone who had been away from Paradise Island for a while might not even recognize her upon their return.
Ethan recalled how, in the movie, Diana's divine abilities had gradually awakened as she matured. If her transformation was nearing completion, then this likely marked the final stages of that process.
She was becoming the Wonder Woman, years ahead of schedule.
Despite having only trained for half a year, Ethan couldn't shake the strange feeling of watching a child grow up. It was probably because he had been directly involved in Diana's development, guiding her progress every step of the way. His knowledge of her future only made this realization more profound.
"Is there something on my face?"
After spending so much time with Ethan, Diana had come to understand his personality. She had once thought he was cold and distant, but now she realized that when he was absorbed in his own thoughts, he often lost awareness of his surroundings.
Since she knew that speaking directly wouldn't offend him, she casually waved a hand in front of his face to snap him out of his daze.
"Nothing," Ethan replied, shaking off his thoughts.
Now that Diana had gained basic control over her energy, there was little left for Ethan to teach her directly. What remained was simply endless practice, training routines designed to help her fully integrate this power into her body and fighting style.
Currently, a single punch from Diana, infused with divine power, was enough to crack Ethan's magic shield. A second punch would completely shatter it. Her progress was terrifying.
Even Hippolyta was shocked by the rate of Diana's growth. She had finally come to understand why Zeus had entrusted her daughter with the power to challenge Ares.
In just six months, Diana had become the undisputed strongest warrior on Paradise Island. Most Amazons weren't even qualified to spar with her anymore. Her speed was so fast that her attacks were nearly impossible to perceive, and the sheer force behind each strike made them impossible to withstand.
And that was without her using divine power. If she truly unleashed her full strength, even those who could parry her attacks would be left either gravely injured or dead.
Ethan, on the other hand, had earned the silent respect of everyone on the island.
Even Antiope who had initially been wary of him, feeling that he had taken over her responsibility now treated him with genuine admiration.
Though he wasn't a resident of Paradise Island, nor an Amazon, nor a believer of Olympus, Ethan's influence had become undeniable. His status on the island was second only to Hippolyta's. He never had to ask for anything, his needs were naturally taken care of.
"I'm thinking about what to do next."
Ethan continued his training, diligently honing his mental power every day. However, as his abilities grew stronger, each incremental improvement became less noticeable. There were times when he even felt as though he had stopped progressing entirely.
He knew that mental training was a long-term endeavor, requiring patience and persistence. So, despite the slow progress, he never skipped his daily practice.
At the same time, he continued engaging in frequent combat drills with Diana. As her strength grew, he was forced to use more advanced tactics and push himself to his limits. This, in turn, accelerated his own growth.
A month ago, Diana had reached the point where she could consistently gain the upper hand in their sparring matches. However, she still hadn't been able to defeat Ethan outright. His unpredictable techniques, adaptability, and ever-expanding combat experience kept him one step ahead.
If he were to face Christina again now, the battle would be completely different. He wouldn't just survive he would win.
Diana glanced at Ethan, who had once again drifted into deep thought. Rather than interrupting him, she simply focused on her meal.
Her rapidly improving physical condition had significantly increased her appetite. She had to eat far more than before, and when their food supplies ran low, she would simply head into the forest and hunt for fresh game.
After finishing an entire roasted pheasant, Diana noticed that Ethan was still lost in thought. She reached over and patted his leg, casually rubbing her hand against it in the process.
"You're always practicing magic and tinkering with those strange things. If you don't know what to do, just spar with me a few more times."
Ethan stared at her in exasperation, his expression darkening. Diana's actions were so natural and unreserved that he couldn't help but feel that she was straying further and further from the Wonder Woman he had once imagined.
"It's not just Paradise Island's influence at this point…"
In truth, there wasn't much for him to do on Paradise Island. Outside of his own training, his time was spent maintaining and upgrading his magical equipment. He repaired what needed fixing, reforged anything beyond saving, and restructured his tools for better performance.
Over the past six months, he had even built a small workshop next to his wooden house. Diana often helped him with his projects, including the reconstruction of his battle cross.
When the battle cross was finally completed, Diana was fascinated by the enchanted weapon and promptly asked Ethan to craft a special one for her as well.
It was during that time that she truly came to understand Ethan's personality and from then on, she became noticeably more bold in how she interacted with him.
**
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