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

As Ethan was speaking, a figure emerged from the shadows of the nearby trees.

"Do you know how to control divine power?"

It was Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons and Diana's mother.

Ethan had already sensed her presence but hadn't pointed it out, assuming she didn't want to reveal herself. He hadn't expected that simply giving Diana some advice would prompt the queen to step forward.

After greeting her mother, Diana turned to Ethan with curiosity, unsure why he had made such a statement.

"Do you have the blood of the gods?"

Hippolyta scrutinized Ethan for a long time but saw no signs of divine lineage. If she hadn't known he was a powerful magician, she would have dismissed him as nothing more than an ordinary, frail man no stronger than the wild beasts on the island.

"Why do you think that only those with divine blood can understand how to control divine power?"

Ethan found this reasoning strange. He had assumed Hippolyta wouldn't hold such a view, but it seemed he was mistaken. She was a firm believer in the power of lineage, so much so that she had never truly considered the possibility that Diana, a demigod, could defeat Ares, a true god.

Ethan could only shake his head helplessly at Hippolyta's stubbornness.

"I'm a magician. Do you know what the essence of a magician's power is?"

The two women stood before him and shook their heads in unison. The synchronized motion was oddly amusing though their regal bearing made them anything but cute.

"Control over energy."

To emphasize his point, Ethan activated his magical equipment, manifesting different types of energy before them.

Fire, water, a pseudo-holy light imbued with abundant life energy, and even the mysterious energy from the Arc Reactor, each element appeared in his hands.

Various energies swirled and intertwined around Ethan like obedient pets, shifting and transforming in mesmerizing patterns. The dazzling display left both of them momentarily stunned. Young Diana, in particular, gazed at the spectacle with fascination, unable to hide her eagerness to learn.

The Amazons of Paradise Island were warriors, different from ordinary women. But the love of beauty was a universal trait among living beings. While Diana was openly entranced, Hippolyta, with her greater knowledge and experience, quickly regained her composure.

As a seasoned warrior with centuries of experience, she didn't dismiss Ethan's display as mere tricks. She recognized that this level of control over multiple energies was no simple feat, it was proof of Ethan's mastery.

The stronger one's ability to control energy, the more effectively they could wield powerful forces. Even if Ethan lacked divine power himself, his expertise in energy manipulation made him more than qualified to teach Diana how to control her own strength.

"Would you be willing to teach me this technique?"

Diana was still young and far less resistant to displays of beauty than Hippolyta. She remained captivated by the shifting lights, her excitement evident. Unlike Hippolyta, she had no reason to hide her enthusiasm, and her growing interest would only help her in her future training.

"Of course."

Ethan waved his hand, dissipating the energy constructs.

"This is the path that suits you best. When you can fully control the divine power within you, you will truly become a demigod."

Across the infinite planes of existence, countless individuals possessed extraordinary potential, but only a rare few ever fully realized it.

He thought of Superman, one of the Justice League's Big Three, a being whose potential was so immense that it was almost terrifying. Yet, except in the earliest comics, Superman had never truly unlocked his full capabilities. He remained someone who merely controlled his existing power well.

In contrast, another member of the Trinity had completely pushed his potential to the limit, consistently achieving feats far beyond his natural capabilities.

As for Diana, the last of the Big Three, she fell somewhere in between. Her potential was vast, and she possessed incredible resilience and determination. However, at least in the movie adaptation, she had lacked proper guidance. Antiope and Hippolyta had only been able to teach her melee combat, leaving much of her potential untapped.

Now, Ethan was ready to take on the role of a teacher. He wanted to help Diana fully unlock her potential, awaken all of her divine power, and become the ultimate weapon to defeat Ares. His expectations were high.

"Then what should I do?"

"For now... get a good night's rest. Starting tomorrow, I'll conduct a thorough observation to assess your condition. Only after all the evaluations are complete can I determine the right training plan for you."

Diana nodded excitedly, looking forward to the next day. Learning new things had always been one of her favorite pastimes, and anything that could make her stronger excited her even more. If not for her mother asking her to head back so she could speak with Ethan privately, Diana might have tried to convince him to start training immediately.

She found all this talk of "observation" unnecessary whatever the study plan was, she was confident she could handle it. No challenge would be too difficult for her, and she was certain she could master everything Ethan had to teach, fully controlling the divine power within her.

As Diana disappeared into the distance, Ethan gestured toward a wooden stool nearby.

"Sit down and talk?"

Hippolyta shook her head. "No need. I only have a few things to say before I leave."

Ethan nodded. "First of all, thank you for sending people to clean this place while I was gone." Diana was still too young to have taken care of it herself, so the upkeep had to be arranged by Hippolyta.

"How long has it been since I left?"

"Only five years," Hippolyta replied. She had kept track of the time, initially believing that ten or twenty years would pass before Ethan returned. She hadn't expected to see him again so soon.

"I thought it would take longer."

"Only five years?" Ethan was a little surprised but quickly shared some good news with Hippolyta. Not only could he stay longer this time, but he could also feel that his connection to this world had become much stronger. While he still couldn't control exactly when he would return, he was certain it wouldn't take more than thirty years.

Thirty years almost half the previous worst-case scenario of fifty meant significantly reduced risk. On top of that, Ethan had also set up a communication method, albeit one-way, which was enough to give Hippolyta some peace of mind.

At this point, Diana's safety was assured, and Ethan's commitment to his word had improved Hippolyta's impression of him.

"Are you really serious about teaching Diana?"

Hippolyta was still hesitant. She didn't want Diana to actually fight Ares. Even though she had resolved to make her daughter stronger, her primary goal was ensuring Diana had the power to protect herself not to send her into battle against a god.

"Of course, I'm very serious," Ethan replied, noticing her concern. "You don't need to worry too much. Diana's divine power is far greater than you realize. She doesn't even need to unleash all of it, just a small portion would be enough to handle Ares."

In the original timeline, Ares had never been a real threat. The moment Diana tapped into even a fraction of her latent power, he was instantly overwhelmed. Zeus had truly designed her as the ultimate weapon against the God of War.

"What makes you so certain?"

Hippolyta wasn't going to accept Ethan's words at face value, especially since he had never even seen Ares.

"Do you think Ares could break through the barrier surrounding Paradise Island?"

The magical barrier around the island did more than keep Paradise Island hidden from the outside world. It also acted as a suppressor, limiting the divine power within Diana's body. This suppression had allowed her to grow up safely without attracting Ares' attention.

More importantly, Ares had never directly attacked Paradise Island, most likely because of this very barrier.

"What are you implying…?"

"Even if I do nothing, in a few years, the barrier will no longer be able to suppress Diana's power."

Hippolyta didn't need Ethan to spell out what that meant she was more than intelligent enough to understand.

With a furrowed brow, the Amazon queen left Ethan's cabin. After a night of contemplation, she brought Diana to his door early the next morning.

It was clear she had made her decision. Not only had she accepted Ethan's guidance for Diana, but she was also prepared to fully support his training efforts.

Ethan looked at Hippolyta, then at the excited Diana, before giving the queen a reassuring nod.

"Our training begins with today's assessment."

Pointing toward the open beach nearby, Ethan led the way.

Though neither Hippolyta nor Diana knew exactly what he intended to do, they followed without question.

Before long, more and more Amazon warriors began to gather. News had spread that the man who had appeared on the island years ago had returned and that he was planning to train Princess Diana.

Curious, they came to see what he would teach her.

As Ethan and Diana stood on the beach, Ethan activated his magical equipment and, to everyone's surprise, made his announcement.

"This assessment is simple: combat!"

****

Just completed one of the ffs I'm working on, and I want to pick another one.

Is there a fic you saw on MTL that was good but so horrible that you can't read it? Or maybe one you enjoyed reading that was dropped? Comment them (with the raw title or link); I'll check them out.

Please don't recommend brain rot, I'm already suffering enough with some of the fics I'm working on xD.