Ethan's Fantasy-Drift

Ethan looked at the ring now snugly sitting on the index finger of his left hand and briefly tested its function.

The ring was incredibly straightforward to use. More importantly, the enchanted magic circle inscribed on it was exceptionally stable, it wouldn't lose its effectiveness from a mere bump or scrape.

Ethan thought back to the pair of bracers he had crafted previously. Despite surviving direct hits without much physical damage, the engraved magic circles on those bracers had been completely destroyed after minor impacts. In comparison, this ring was on an entirely different level.

"Thank you, Xul," Ethan said sincerely.

Xul accepted the thanks with a calm nod, stepping back to make room for Isendra, who was standing nearby with an expectant look.

"I made this for you with Charsi's help. Didn't your old pair of bracers break?"

To Ethan's surprise, Isendra handed him a new set of bracers. At first glance, they looked similar to his previous ones, but they were far more refined and delicately crafted.

"This..."

The moment he held them, Ethan noticed that the bracers were crafted from a metal alloy mixed with mithril, a material far better suited for conducting magic and channeling mental energy. Additionally, the precision of the engraved magic circles was leaps and bounds ahead of his own amateurish work.

"These bracers have multiple enchantments, don't they?" Ethan asked.

He put them on and channeled a bit of his mental energy into them. Almost instantly, he realized how extraordinary the bracers were.

"The one on your left hand," Isendra explained, "not only imbues the six short arrows it carries with frost damage but also allows you to summon an Ice Shield."

She guided him through the process, and Ethan—keen to try it out—focused his mental energy in the way Isendra described. He activated the magic circle in the left bracer, issuing a silent "command."

Almost immediately, icy cold air radiated from the bracer, forming a translucent circular shield about a meter in diameter.

"In addition to offering decent defense, the frost shield will have an effect on anything that gets too close to you," Isendra continued.

Ethan noticed the surrounding temperature drop significantly. While the icy chill would weaken anyone nearby, he remained unharmed within the shield's protective radius—at most, he felt a refreshing coolness.

The only downside to the Ice Shield was that it required a constant flow of mental energy to maintain. For now, Ethan lacked the mental strength to keep it active for an extended period during battle. Even so, the shield was an incredibly effective defensive tool, especially considering it was paired with six frost-imbued arrows.

To test the arrows, Ethan fired one at a nearby stone. Upon impact, a layer of frost instantly spread across the rock's surface.

"If this hits a person," Ethan mused, "even if it doesn't freeze them completely, it'll cause severe frostbite and immobilize them."

Compared to his old bracers, which could only fire three arrows with minimal effects, these new ones doubled his offensive capability.

"What about this one?" Ethan asked, pointing to the bracer on his right hand.

"Ah, that one is designed primarily for offense," Isendra replied.

The right-hand bracer was inscribed with a fire attribute magic circle, a much more advanced version of the fire magic Ethan had attempted to engrave on his previous equipment.

When Ethan launched a fire-imbued arrow from the bracer, it struck the ground with a fiery explosion, leaving a small crater in its wake. The power was leagues beyond the minor flames his old bracers had been capable of producing.

"In addition to that," Isendra continued, "this bracer can also fire five fireballs."

Ethan's eyebrows shot up. "Fireballs?"

"Yes," Isendra said with a faint smile. "Even though it's a basic spell, its power can vary greatly depending on the caster—or, in this case, the enchanted item."

The fireball spell inscribed on the bracer wasn't a weak entry-level version. Considering the flame arrows it already had, there was no need for another minor offensive capability. Instead, the fireballs it produced were powerful enough for area-of-effect damage, though not as devastating as the ones Isendra could cast herself.

Isendra had clearly considered Ethan's current strength and potential for growth while crafting the bracers, likely putting a great deal of thought into striking the right balance.

"Thank you," Ethan said earnestly, thoroughly impressed by the bracers.

The two bracers even had names, as Isendra cheerfully informed him:

The left-hand bracer, capable of summoning the Ice Shield and firing frost arrows, was called Isendra's Passion. The name symbolized the warm and protective care Isendra had imbued into the equipment.

The right-hand bracer, with its fireballs and flaming arrows, was named Isendra's Ruthlessness. It represented the merciless destruction it could unleash upon enemies.

Together, the pair of bracers was collectively referred to as Isendra's Guardian.

Ethan couldn't help but laugh. "Shouldn't the names be reversed?" he joked.

But upon hearing Isendra's reasoning behind the names, he had to admit they made sense in their own way.

After explaining the bracers' features, Isendra stepped aside, allowing Charsi to step forward.

Though Ethan hadn't interacted much with Charsi, the blacksmith had left a strong impression on him. When he'd asked for help crafting his old bracers, Charsi had dropped everything to assist, even when Ethan insisted there was no rush.

"I didn't have much time to prepare," Charsi began, "and I didn't have the right materials to make anything that would match what these mages use. But I had this light armor I made earlier by mixing some unusual metal particles. I think it'll suit you well."

She handed him a set of lightweight armor, consisting of a breastplate, gauntlets, and greaves.

The design was minimalist, focusing only on protecting vital areas: the chest, hands, and legs—parts most likely to engage in direct combat. Despite its simplicity, the armor was surprisingly well-suited to Ethan's needs.

What surprised him the most, however, was how light it was. Even the breastplate felt no heavier than a piece of leather armor. Once he put it on, it felt as though he were wearing ordinary clothing.

"I don't fully understand the effects of those strange metal particles," Charsi admitted, "but I do know that this light armor is lighter than common cloth and can even float on water. Hopefully, that will be useful to you."

Ethan's excitement soared when he heard that. Moments ago, he'd been jokingly imagining himself as some kind of "Bronze Saint," but the idea of floating armor left him genuinely thrilled. His grin nearly stretched off his face.

"Useful? This is beyond useful, it's incredible!"

In a world dominated by endless oceans, the ability to float could very well be a lifesaver. No one could guarantee they'd never fall into the water—whether from exhaustion, accidents, or unforeseen events. A "life jacket" like this armor would add a vital layer of security to his survival.

If Xul and Isendra weren't watching, Ethan might have thrown caution to the wind and hugged Charsi in gratitude. Of course, with Charsi's towering physique, it was hard to tell who would be hugging whom.

"I also repaired your weapon for you," Charsi offered, clearly pleased with Ethan's enthusiasm.

She reached behind her and pulled out the iron rod Ethan had used during the Den of Evil's expedition. After defeating Blood Raven and returning to camp, Isendra had asked to borrow the weapon. At the time, Ethan had handed it over without a second thought.

Now, he realized Isendra had passed it to Charsi for repairs. The blacksmith had polished the rod to a silver sheen, cleaned off the grime, and even etched intricate decorative patterns onto its surface. The broken connection where the hammer head had once been was fully repaired, leaving the weapon looking brand new.

Gone was the battered, pitiful rod Ethan had grown accustomed to. In its place was a gleaming silver-white staff, brimming with a faint aura of lightning power.

"This weapon doesn't have a name yet," Charsi said. "Maybe you can come up with one?"

Naming weapons seemed to be a tradition in this world, but Ethan struggled to think of something fitting.

"Uh...."

One ridiculous name after another flashed through his mind, but none of them felt quite right.

"I'll think of something later," Ethan said at last, laughing at his own indecision.

Before he could dwell on it further, the space-time energy within his body began to surge violently. A glowing magic circle appeared beneath his feet, radiating an intense brilliance.

"My teacher's teleportation magic is activating," Ethan said, quickly collecting the scattered packages at his feet.

He remembered from experience that only items he physically carried with him would travel through the teleportation. The food and water he had were useful, but far less important than the books and manuscripts Akara, Isendra, and Kashya had gifted him. He made sure none of them were left behind.

Seeing the magic circle intensify, the group instinctively stepped back. None of them knew the exact range of the spell or what would happen if they were caught in it. Even with the best intentions, being accidentally dragged into a teleportation spell could have disastrous consequences. If they were torn apart by the sheer force of magical energy, it wouldn't matter how much they'd wanted to say goodbye.

"It's been an honor to fight alongside you all," Ethan called out as the light enveloped him. "I'll always remember this time we've shared."

The glow intensified, drowning out the world around him. Ethan's form became a silhouette, and even his parting words grew indistinct, swallowed by the overwhelming fluctuations of magic.