Absorb, reinforce, and learn.
That's what Ethan and the others had been focusing on these past few days. As time went on, the duration Ethan needed to stay in the bath grew shorter with each session. Eventually, he began experimenting with higher doses, from one drop to two drops, and by now, he could add a substantial amount of strengthening potion at once.
"Is this the last point?"
As usual, Ethan pulled out the potion after preparing everything.
Logan took his place by the door, as he always did. The difference this time was that Loki, who had always been the subject of this vigilance, also showed up.
Loki had always known Ethan was watching him. He didn't show up earlier only because he was busy with his own matters. Now that his training had made some progress, he couldn't hold back his curiosity and came over.
The way he appeared was so abrupt that it nearly caused Logan to react violently.
"Oh, calm your claws. I'm not planning anything against him." Loki raised his hands to show he was 'harmless.' "Otherwise, I wouldn't show up in person like this."
Logan ignored Loki and turned to Ethan instead.
"It's his real body, not an illusion."
Because of the need to guard against Loki, Ethan had previously told Logan about Loki's abilities. The illusion magic that was nearly impossible to distinguish from reality was what gave Logan the biggest headache.
"I've proven to be a very trustworthy god during this time. You could trust me a bit more."
"If I didn't trust you at all, I would've kicked you out already." Ethan shook the small vial in his hand. "You interested in this?"
"A little." Loki admitted he came to see the potion. "Your recent changes have been pretty obvious. Even I couldn't ignore them."
Ethan's outward appearance hadn't changed much. His skin looked better, and his overall appearance had become more pleasant, but it was still the same face.
However, in Loki's eyes, the change inside Ethan was like night and day. If Ethan had once been a mere candle, now he was like a freshly lit bonfire. Though it wasn't yet at full blaze, the sheer amount of vibrant and active energy was impossible to miss.
"What do you think of my method?"
Loki thought for a moment and gave his assessment. "It's a good choice, but there's something odd about it. That's why I came to ask you directly."
"What's odd?"
Loki pointed to the potion. "If I'm not mistaken, this is made with the blood of a powerful god as the main ingredient, and the energy within it is divine power. But if you're using such potent energy to craft a potion, why has it only increased your strength by this much?"
That's what Loki couldn't figure out. In his view, with this kind of potion, Ethan should have at least reached the level of a 'demi-god' by now, even if it was a weaker demi-god. The changes in him should've been tremendous, not this minor.
Though Ethan had gone from a candle to a bonfire in Loki's eyes, he should have become a volcano.
"That's because I didn't directly use the potion to boost my power. I used it to break my upper limit."
Loki understood Ethan's intention. He was using the potion to shatter the limits of humanity, break through his ceiling, and then build his power with his own strength.
"You've got a lot of confidence in yourself."
"I just want to be able to master every ounce of my strength." Ethan emphasized again, "Every ounce!"
Surprisingly, Loki didn't laugh. Instead, he looked very serious. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Do you think this will make you powerful?"
"At the very least, I won't have to worry about my power failing me when I need it or accidentally harming myself."
Loki completely understood what Ethan meant. He didn't know how to judge it, because Ethan's reasoning made sense. In fact, the training Loki was doing now had the same goal: mastering the power inside the Casket of Ancient Winters.
He just hadn't thought about it in the way Ethan described—controlling every last drop. He had been proud of his recent progress, but now, he felt like his drive didn't compare to that of a human mage.
"I hope you succeed."
As he finished speaking, Loki's body gradually faded away. When Logan saw this, he turned to Ethan with a clear message in his eyes: Didn't you say that was his real body?
"He swapped to a projection midway through."
Logan rubbed the bridge of his nose. "That's exactly why guys like him give me a headache. Thankfully, today's the last day."
Ethan smiled and didn't mention that this was only the first step of his strengthening. If he wanted to continue improving, he still needed to search for more materials to keep enhancing himself.
Now that he had this body, future enhancements wouldn't be as troublesome. For example, the T-virus could be used directly with minor adjustments. His current body wasn't strictly human anymore. The virus posed much less risk now, and he didn't have to worry about mutating into a zombie.
If he had used divine blood to fully strengthen himself from the start, the T-virus would no longer work on him, not even the beneficial effects.
So, in order to keep benefiting from external enhancements, he deliberately preserved and even enhanced the characteristics inherited from Alexander Corvinus and Michael. Ethan had chosen this method after thorough consideration: raise his potential ceiling while keeping the ability to accept future enhancements.
While soaking in the warm water, Ethan started thinking about what to do next.
The Goddess of Dawn had been undergoing repairs at the shipyard for a while. The maintenance would be done in a few days, and then the ship would be ready for another voyage.
Brent had remained in contact, having met with many captains in the meantime, but the outcome hadn't changed much. Only a few agreed to face the 'trouble' alongside Brent. Most adventurers didn't want to deal with something that had "nothing to do with them."
Cleo had come to visit too. He also knew what Brent intended to do. Though he wanted to participate, his first mate reported it to his father, and Cleo was forced to withdraw. He had to follow his father's plans for their next voyage.
One thing was certain—Cleo's next route would definitely not be toward the north.
Ethan stepped out of the bath after cleaning up, habitually glanced at the window, and saw that it was still dark outside. Dawn hadn't arrived yet.
This had become the norm. Even with increased doses toward the end of his strengthening, he no longer needed to soak for very long.
"It's over?"
"Yeah."
Ethan raised his arms in a flexing pose.
"Next, I need to rely on myself. Otherwise, no matter how much potential I have, it won't become real strength."
Logan smiled. He wasn't surprised that Ethan wanted to focus on training. What he was curious about was whether Ethan's lifespan had changed.
"If nothing unexpected happens, living a thousand or even eight hundred years shouldn't be a problem."
He wasn't entirely sure. Based on the divine blood enhancement alone, a lifespan of at least a thousand years seemed guaranteed. Adding the Corvinus blood made it almost certain that he had become an immortal species.
Not to mention the large amount of Spring of Life water he had. It could replenish his vitality. His maximum lifespan had also been expanded and reinforced. A thousand years was a conservative estimate.
"I'm pretty sure my appearance will stay at its peak for a long time."
That meant he'd continue looking about twenty-five. He wouldn't grow older. If he started to show signs of aging, it would mean his vitality was nearly exhausted and his life was approaching its end. Ethan didn't know when that would be.
"This is also the benefit of divine blood?"
"It's something I specifically chose."
In theory, the human body reaches peak condition around the age of twenty-five, both physically and mentally. There might be slight differences depending on individual constitution. After that, the body inevitably begins to decline. By thirty, the downturn becomes more obvious, and the body steadily deteriorates.
That's the normal pattern. Ethan chose this age not for some complicated reason, but simply because he liked how he looked at twenty-five.
He could use potions to look twenty or even eighteen again, but that would look too young, and being too youthful was often inconvenient.
"Looks like the only one on the ship who can still grow normally is Laura."
Laura was the only normal crew member on the Goddess of Dawn. Ethan was no longer normal. And when Laura grew up, her mutant genes would allow her to remain at peak condition for a long time. Considering the group she was surrounded by now, it was likely she'd become immortal too.
"My issues are resolved. What about yours?"
Ethan poured drinks for both himself and Logan. As he drank, he was also testing his body's changes in digestion.
"My issues? What issues?"
"You haven't thought about how to strengthen yourself?"
Logan wanted to say he didn't need to, but after thinking about it, he realized maybe it was time to consider ways to increase his combat effectiveness.
"How do I do that?"
"Let's start with the basics—improve your physical condition first."
(To be continued.)
***
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