Multiverse Drift

Ethan couldn't fully understand Isendra's words, but as the day wore on, the sky grew darker, and his vision began to blur. It was time to head back to the camp.

Despite their inability to communicate properly, Ethan gestured for Isendra to follow him and led her toward Rogue Camp.

The wooden fences and the Rogues patrolling at key points around the perimeter made it clear to Isandra that this wasn't the "town" she had been hoping to find. However, from her interactions with Ethan so far, she realized that their lack of shared language would only complicate things further. Choosing to hold back her questions for the time being, she quietly followed him inside.

"Nice to see you back safely," one of the Rogues on guard greeted Ethan warmly.

Then, her gaze shifted to Isendra, and her expression became more cautious. "Who are you, and what's your purpose here?"

"I'm a mage from the East," Isandra replied calmly. "I've been traveling for some time and noticed the growing dark energy in this area. I came here to investigate."

"Welcome, Master Mage," the Rogue said respectfully. "You're most welcome here in Rogue Camp. I believe Captain Kashya would be the one to answer your questions."

With a nod to her fellow guards, the Rogue escorted Isandra further into the camp to meet Kashya.

Ethan, meanwhile, had no interest in the conversation that would follow. Even if he did, he wouldn't have understood much of it. Instead, he headed straight for Akara's tent, carrying the herbs he had gathered. His priority now was to exchange them for supplies and see if he could learn anything about potion-making from Akara.

He hadn't initially planned on learning such a skill, but during his herb gathering and battles with zombies, Ethan had realized something crucial: in a world like his own, full of endless oceans, he couldn't guarantee he'd never get sick or injured. With no companions to rely on, having a few survival tricks up his sleeve—like potion-making—was a necessity.

After carefully counting the herbs Ethan had collected, Akara handed him the prepared food, water, and a few gold coins as his reward. When Ethan brought up his interest in learning how to make magic potions, Akara looked thoughtful but ultimately nodded.

"The corruption of dark power is worsening," Akara explained, her tone weary. "These herbs are becoming increasingly tainted with dark energy. Before I can use them, I have to purify that energy, which drains a great deal of my own strength."

Akara sighed, her expression heavy. "The nuns of the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye are stretched thin. They don't have the capacity to help with these smaller tasks. If you're willing to assist me with them, I can teach you the basics of magic potion-making."

Then, after a pause, she added, "But as for healing spells, I don't think that's something you can learn."

Ethan asked why, and Akara explained that the healing magic used by the Sisterhood was deeply rooted in faith. Unlike the spells used by most mages, which drew from personal skill and mastery of energy, the healing techniques of the Sisterhood relied on divine blessings and borrowed power.

"I see," Ethan said, nodding in understanding.

He wasn't disappointed. Potion-making alone was valuable enough. Besides, he hadn't expected to learn everything.

But there was one catch.

Before Akara could teach him potion-making, Ethan had to memorize an entire tome on the basics of herbal medicine.

"You need to learn how to identify and differentiate herbs," Akara explained. "Every herb has unique properties, and you'll need to understand them fully before you can begin crafting potions."

With the introductory book in hand, Ethan left Akara's tent, feeling slightly dejected.

"What's the point of this book?" he muttered to himself as he returned to his tent. "How useful can this knowledge really be to me? Are these herbs even going to exist outside of this world?"

His frustration lingered as he opened the book. But as he began to read, Ethan realized he had been completely wrong in his assumptions.

The book wasn't a simple manual filled with descriptions of fixed herb shapes, colors, and medicinal properties. Instead, it was an introduction to using mental power to analyze the "energy characteristics" within herbs.

Rather than classifying herbs by their physical traits, the book taught how to identify and categorize them based on the energy they contained—how it behaved, what effects it could produce, and what kinds of potions it was suitable for.

"Wow…" Ethan muttered, flipping through the pages.

This method of identification wasn't limited to the plants in this world. By focusing on the energy properties of herbs rather than their appearances, the knowledge in this book could potentially be applied to other worlds and planes of existence as well.

For instance, any herb that could stop bleeding or accelerate wound recovery was categorized as suitable for making red potions. Even two herbs that looked entirely different might belong to the same category because they shared the same essence and could be used to create identical potions.

"So that's how it works!"

This book wasn't just an introductory guide to herbal medicine, it was a specialized manual tailored for mages. It emphasized extracting the essential qualities of plants, amplifying their effects, and prolonging their duration. In essence, it taught the true fundamentals of potion-making. This realization reassured Ethan that the book wouldn't become useless if he ever left this world.

In fact, the knowledge it offered about crafting magical potions turned out to be far more significant than he initially thought.

Understanding the book's value sparked a newfound enthusiasm in Ethan. He spent the entire night poring over its pages, absorbing its contents. He only paused when a nun from Akara came to summon him in the morning, reminding him of the passing time.

"I don't even feel tired!"

Aside from a bit of stiffness from sitting for so long, Ethan felt as energetic as ever, a stark contrast to his previous life. Back then, even at peak health, working through the night would have left him utterly drained.

"Is this because of my improved mental power?"

Mental power came from two sources: the body and the soul. Both needed to be strong for someone to reach their full potential. Ethan's physical condition, though not remarkable, was above average and steadily improving due to his youthful, developing body.

His mental strength, on the other hand, had always been unremarkable. However, his years of training with the space-time pointer had laid a solid foundation for controlling it. The unexpected side effects of his possession had also given him an advantage. The remnants of the original owner's mental energy had been absorbed by his soul, enhancing his own.

Had he not begun practicing mental exercises, this energy would have dissipated over time. But by training consistently, he managed to harness it, triggering a period of rapid improvement.

As his mental strength grew, it stimulated subtle changes in his physical body. While the effect was small, merely making his cells more active—it had slightly boosted his recovery and growth. For Ethan, who was already in a stage of rapid physical development, this enhancement became more pronounced.

"Maybe mages aren't as frail as I thought!"

The realization struck Ethan as logical. After all, mages in various universes weren't weaklings. In the Marvel world, for example, they were capable of wielding mystical energy while engaging in melee combat. Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings carried a staff and a sword, epitomizing the image of a battle-hardened mage. Even Merlin from Arthurian legends reportedly preferred swordplay over magic in certain situations.

Yet in most of the games and stories Ethan had encountered, mages were portrayed as fragile, frail beings. It seemed ridiculous now. How could a mage endure long journeys through mountains and forests, engage in life-or-death battles, and still be considered physically weak?

Even the idea of mages toiling in their laboratories for days or weeks on end seemed implausible without a robust constitution. If they were truly fragile, wouldn't they have succumbed to exhaustion or sudden illness?

"So, being healthy is a prerequisite for becoming a good mage?" Ethan mused, stretching his stiff body as he emerged from his tent.

As he turned his head, he noticed Isandra, the female mage he'd guided to the camp the previous day. She was stepping out of her own tent, staff in hand. It seemed Kasha had already accepted her into the camp.

Isendra spotted Ethan as well and approached with a polite smile.

"Good morning, Ethan. Thank you again for showing me the way yesterday."

Instead of using words, she communicated with him through mental energy. Ethan appreciated her courtesy in seeking his permission before establishing the mental link.

"You're welcome," he replied. "Even without me, you'd have found the camp soon enough."

Curious, Isendra continued, "Where did you say you're from again?"

Mages in this world typically came from a few major factions, all of which shared a common language. The fact that Ethan couldn't communicate fluently had intrigued her.

"From the East," Ethan replied vaguely. "My teacher isn't well-known."

"The East?" Isendra frowned in disbelief. Most mage groups were based in the East, and language barriers were unheard of among them.

Sensing her skepticism, Ethan quickly added, "It's much farther east than you're thinking. I got here by accident using a teleportation scroll, so I'm not entirely sure how far it is."

"Farther east?" Isendra still seemed doubtful but chose not to press further. "Anyway, I was about to look for Akara. Kashya mentioned she might need my assistance. Do you know where I can find her?"

Relieved by the change of subject, Ethan smiled. "I'm headed to Akara as well. Let's go together."