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

A magical tool that could store knowledge and information?

Ethan's request wasn't unreasonable. In fact, many magicians had similar tools. However, Ethan added an extra requirement: the tool needed to be capable of "absorbing" or "copying" new books or materials he obtained so that he could review them later.

"Oh, that's an interesting idea," Merlin replied. "But I'll need to study how it could be implemented."

For a magician of Merlin's caliber, their immense mental power granted them an almost perfect memory. Even unfamiliar information could be memorized and retained flawlessly in a short time, making tools like this unnecessary for someone like him.

But Ethan was far from reaching that level. For someone like him, a magical tool to manage and store knowledge was essential.

Unlike many mages, Ethan didn't have the luxury of a fixed residence where he could build a library to store all his collected books. Based on the environment Ethan had described before, carrying and storing books was clearly going to be an ongoing problem. And now, with his need to acquire and study even more books, the issue had become one of his biggest headaches.

"It'd be helpful if I had a clear example to work from," Merlin said, pondering.

Ethan knew the perfect example. Back in his previous life, he had used tablet computers, an incredibly convenient tool for managing information. He had even considered trying to replicate something similar, powered by magic stones. Such a device, if built, might even surpass the tablets he remembered.

The problem, of course, was that Ethan knew next to nothing about how to work with magic stones. For now, this was merely a backup plan for the distant future.

Instead, Ethan turned his attention to something Merlin could directly use as a reference: his wristband, a device that recorded information.

"How about this?" Ethan asked, handing the wristband over to Merlin.

"Oh?" Merlin examined the slim white strip. It was an unassuming item, usually hidden under Ethan's wrist guards, which explained why Merlin hadn't noticed it earlier.

Now that he was holding it, Merlin immediately recognized its unique qualities. "Interesting," he said. "Using this as a reference, I should be able to come up with some ideas fairly quickly."

At that moment, Ethan remembered the magic stone he still had. Unsure whether its attributes aligned with Merlin's needs, he handed it over as well, hoping it might help.

Merlin's eyes lit up the moment he saw the magic stone. Without another word, he grabbed the wristband and the stone and disappeared into his laboratory, completely engrossed in his work.

Ethan stood there, momentarily taken aback. It was a reminder that, even as a legendary magician, Merlin still had the eccentricities common among his peers. When something piqued his interest, everything else seemed to fade into the background.

Arthur, who had been quietly observing, explained with a polite smile, "When Merlin becomes fascinated with something, he tends to focus on it completely, often ignoring everything else around him. Please don't take it personally."

"Oh, I don't mind," Ethan replied, waving his hand dismissively. "I was just wondering how long it might take for him to make the tool I need."

Arthur, confident in Merlin's abilities, responded firmly, "It won't take long. You can trust in his skills."

With nothing else to do, the two began chatting. Since they would be working together in the future—exploring worlds across different planes, it was a good opportunity to get to know each other better.

Arthur, despite his mature demeanor, was still a teenager—only fourteen years old—making him much younger than Ethan. His slender frame and voice, which had only recently begun changing, made his youth even more apparent. Compared to Ethan, Arthur seemed small and fragile, which left Ethan feeling like he might end up as a babysitter.

Arthur, however, was no ordinary teenager. As the son of a king, he had received a privileged upbringing. Even though circumstances had kept him away from the castle, Merlin had taken him in and provided him with a well-rounded education.

Noticing Ethan's subtle smiles during their conversation, Arthur quickly deduced what he was thinking.

"I'll tell you what," Arthur said, proposing a sparring match.

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"We've got time to kill, and this is as good a way to get to know each other as any. Besides," Arthur added, "if we're going to be partners, it's important to understand each other's abilities. In a crisis, we need to know who can handle what. Otherwise, how will we know whether to trust our teammates to handle something alone or if we need to step in to help?"

Ethan couldn't argue with that logic. Nodding, he agreed to Arthur's challenge.

And then…

The result was embarrassing for Ethan.

Arthur might have been young, but he was no ordinary fourteen-year-old. Though he'd lived away from the royal court, Merlin had personally overseen his training from a young age. Over more than a decade, Arthur had built a solid foundation in both physical combat and magical techniques.

Ethan, by comparison, was woefully underprepared. A self-taught mage apprentice with a malnourished childhood, Ethan had only recently begun practicing basic swordsmanship. What little he knew of melee combat had been taught to him by a priest in passing.

First, he'd been beaten by Merlin. Now, young Arthur was thoroughly thrashing him. Ethan couldn't help but feel dejected.

Fortunately, Arthur's combat experience was still limited. His youth meant he lacked physical strength compared to adults, and he had little real-world battle experience. By exploiting these weaknesses, Ethan managed to win a few rounds later in their sparring session, salvaging some of his pride.

"You have a solid foundation."

"Your foundation is terrible."

The two spent most of the day sparring, and, unsurprisingly, verbal jabs flew freely during their bouts. Each tried to distract the other, their words growing bolder as they got caught up in the heat of the match.

"I've only been practicing swordsmanship for a few months and all of that has been self-taught," Ethan admitted.

Arthur nodded in understanding. Given those circumstances, Ethan's mediocre skills made sense. On top of that, Ethan was primarily a mage, which meant he'd likely spent more time studying magic than honing his swordsmanship.

"Considering that, it's impressive you've reached the level you have," Arthur said sincerely.

Ethan gave a wry smile. He wasn't so sure about that. His progress might have seemed quick, but that could just be due to his lack of a proper foundation. He suspected he'd hit a bottleneck soon, one caused by his limited physical strength and natural talent. His growth, already stunted by his childhood environment, would only become harder to maintain.

Meanwhile, Arthur, despite being only fourteen, wasn't much weaker than Ethan physically. Once Arthur matured and his body fully developed, Ethan doubted he'd stand a chance against him in a head-to-head clash.

"Maybe you should think about finding a way to improve your physical fitness," Arthur suggested.

Ethan considered this carefully. The worlds he might explore in the future were unknown.

A better ship would be one way to survive the challenges ahead, but a stronger body would also be a crucial asset.

Another factor weighed on Ethan's mind: longevity.

Now that he had the ability to travel between worlds, the possibility of extending his lifespan was no longer just a dream. Immortality might be out of reach, but living far beyond the years of an ordinary human seemed plausible.

Time, however, moved differently across worlds. Ethan realized he could easily find himself aging too quickly while caught up in his travels. If he didn't address the issue, he might die of old age before achieving his goals.

"That would be such a waste," he muttered to himself.

Ethan's seemingly aimless actions often hid deeper intentions. He constantly evaluated his priorities, adjusting his plans based on the unpredictable circumstances he faced.

His initial focus had been survival: improving his strength to ensure he could protect himself. That goal was mostly complete.

Next came finding a systematic method for advancing his magical training. Meeting Merlin had provided a much-needed breakthrough on that front.

As for the magical tool to store knowledge and materials, that was more of a side quest, one that Merlin had already taken on.

With those two priorities nearly resolved, Ethan's next focus would undoubtedly be physical fitness and longevity.

The idea of extending his lifespan had been in the back of his mind ever since he discovered his ability to traverse planes. However, his immediate need for safety had taken precedence, forcing him to shelve the thought.

Now, with the issue of physical limitations brought to the forefront, Ethan was reexamining the matter of longevity.

"Many worlds offer ways to extend a person's lifespan," Ethan mused. "The real problem is whether I'll be able to visit those worlds."

For now, his best option was to take things one step at a time, while continuing to work hard toward becoming a mage.

In Ethan's mind, many mages likely possessed methods to extend their lives, whether through ancient texts or Personal breakthroughs achieved during observation of the mysteries of magic. He believed that, as long as his magical skills advanced enough, he would eventually solve the problem of longevity on his own.

Physical fitness, however, presented a bigger challenge. Improving his body could enhance his vitality, boost his combat abilities, and give him a greater sense of security in dangerous situations.

Unfortunately, there were no shortcuts to building physical strength. For now, persistent training was his only option.

This time, though, Ethan had a teacher—a very special one. The future legendary King of Britain: Arthur Pendragon.

Arthur, for his part, seemed to enjoy playing the role of instructor. Nearly every day at dawn, he dragged Ethan out of bed and subjected him to the same grueling training regimen he had endured as a child.

"Wait a second," Ethan said after three days of relentless practice. "Are you telling me this is the same training you did when you were eight years old?"

Arthur's sunny demeanor faltered for a moment, and for the first time, he looked a little sheepish.

"Well," Arthur admitted, rubbing the back of his head, "I did make some… adjustments. The original regimen wasn't this intense. I was too young to handle this level of training back then."

"...Seriously?"

Ethan tilted his head back and stared at the sky, incredulous. The "kindhearted" young King Arthur, with his honest face and noble bearing, had turned out to be a mischievous little schemer.

Unfortunately for Ethan, he didn't have much time to dwell on his revelation. Just as his disbelief started to fade, Merlin emerged from his laboratory for the first time in days.

The legendary magician looked pleased with himself as he approached, and the good news he brought made Ethan's frustrations vanish instantly.

"The tool you asked for," Merlin said with a satisfied smile, "is ready."

*****

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