Jon observed Sariel and Miyoung disembark from the Piercing-Void Ship. His Hades-Draconian Shadow slithering across two-dimensional space, darting from shadow to shadow unhindered, focusing on using Mortal-level shadows as methods of concealing itself. Knowledge obtained through his Fragment Of Draconian Shadows becoming his own, flowing to his Sea Of Knowledge.

  Despite his earlier interactions with the “Miyoung” Jon could not help but feel interested in her Fragment Of Piercing-Iris. The incredible control that she possessed over her [Predator Spell Eyes] almost rivalled his own mastery over [Eyes Through The Looking Glass].

  Although her lacklustre control over both her Fragment Of Mind and Fragment Of Spirit disappointed him a little bit, while rummaging around through her Reckless Strength Palace, he could not help but feel the familiar presence of a-.

  “Memento Source Item…” Jon muttered, humming thoughtfully from within the boundaries of the Wonderous Citadel Dwelling.

  Music Mana Core. Fragment Of Weapon. Mortal Ranked Harp Bow.

  ‘What an interesting combination of Mana Cores,’ Jon thought to himself.

  Alongside perhaps, an even more interesting combination of Mana Cores and fragments.

  Even if it was just a brief observation, Jon had managed to pierce through her almost non-existent mental defences and take a peek at the effect descriptions that laid below. Her selection of fragments were common within Springtown, with one notable exception.

  Name: Miyoung Kim-Seydlitz

  Age: 22

  Rank: Knight

  Tier: Second-Veined

  Title: Archon Of Reigning Dragons

  [1]: Strength

  [Fragment Of Draconic-Metamorphosis]

  [Half-Dragon Transformation; Azure-Scaled Tyrant]

  (Strength, Transformation, Dragon, Enhancement, Technique, Buff, Self)

  [Fragment Of Agility]

  [Strength Art; Wind-Tracing Steps]

  [Strength, Agility, Technique, Enhancement, Buff, Self)

  (Wind)

  [Fragment Of Personification]

  [With Thou In Hand, Strength Shall Overcome Death]

  [Strength, Personification, Ability, Technique, Spell, Construct, Buff)

  (Wrath)

  [2]: Bow

  [Fragment Of Quiver]

  [Behold Thy Bountiful Arsenal, Woven From Broken Arrowheads]

  [Bow, Quiver, Summon, Tool, Storage, Construct, Self)

  (Infinity)

  [Fragment Of Eradication]

  [Imperial Bow Art; Divine Bow Rapture]

  (Bow, Eradication, Spell, Technique, Ability, Debuff)

  (Boundless)

  [Fragment Of Incarnation]

  [With Thou In Hand, Arrows Shall Pierce The Stars]

  [Bow, Incarnation, Ability, Technique, Spell, Construct, Buff)

  (Spell)

  [3]: Beauty

  [Fragment Of Spirit]

  [Thou Art The Monarch Of Beauty And Eternity]

  [Beauty, Spirit, Mutation, Spell, Enhancement, Self)

  (Desire)

  [Fragment Of Dragon]

  [Long Shen Xi; Graceful Dragon Of Treasured Beauty]

  (Summon, Beauty, Dragon, Mutation, Spell, Technique, Enhancement, Buff)

  (Heart)

  [Fragment Of Smile]

  [Smile Because It Happened]

  (Beauty, Smile, Mutation, Enhancement, Ability, Self)

  (Grace)

  [4]: Rose

  [Fragment Of Arrow]

  [Malicious Rose Art; Blooming Thorn Arrow]

  (Rose, Arrow, Spell, Ability, Construct, Debuff)

  (Thorn)

  [Fragment Of Devil]

  [Rosenrot; Carnelian Devil Of Rose Sin]

  (Summon, Rose, Devil, Spell, Ability, Debuff)

  (Lust)

  [Fragment Of Abyss]

  [Abyssal Rose Art; Crimson Petal Torrent]

  (Rose, Abyss, Spell, Debuff)

  (Flood)

  [5]: Hunt

  [Fragment Of Piercing-Iris]

  [Predator Spell Eyes]

  (Hunt, Eyes, Piercing, Spell, Enhancement, Buff)

  [Fragment Of Mantle]

  [Themia; Wandering Night Protection]

  [Hunt, Mantle, Summon, Armour, Buff)

  (Obfuscation)

  [Fragment Of Destruction]

  [Rapture Of The Wrathful Moon]

  [Hunt, Destruction, Technique, Enhancement, Debuff)

  (Wrath)

  [6]: Dragon

  [Fragment Of Summon]

  [Jiu Mei Lan; Scent Of Draconian Plum-Wine]

  (Summon, Dragon, Spell, Ability, Enhancement, Buff)

  (Transformation)

  [Fragment Of Heart]

  [Tears Of The Dragon King]

  (Dragon, Heart, Mutation, Ability, Enhancement, Passive)

  (Duality)

  [Fragment Of Marrow]

  [Ours Is The Blood That Births Dragons And Myths]

  (Dragon, Marrow, Mutation, Ability, Enhancement)

  (Blood)

  [7]: Music

  [Fragment Of Weapon]

  [Lenecia; Seven-Stringed Reignbow]

  (Memento, Music, Weapon, Harp, Bow, Spell, Technique, Enhancement, Buff, Debuff)

  It was just a cursory glance, but one that managed to gleam just over half of all her manifested abilities.

  Strength Mana Cores and Dragon Mana Cores tended to work well with another, both possessing similar connotations. Bow Mana Cores also worked quite well when used in tandem with Hunt Mana Cores, given the inherent conceptual relationships between the two.

  Despite Beauty Mana Cores being one his least favourite types of Mana Cores in general, most of Miyoung’s manifested abilities were either mutations-type or summoning-type abilities. His adversity to Beauty Mana Cores was as a result of one individual in particular, although assumed that it too would have a certain degree of synergy with Rose Mana Cores.

  The Archon Of Reigning Dragons also had but two dual-fragment pathways.

  Fragment Of Draconian-Metamorphosis and Fragment Of Piercing-Iris.

  She had integrated three of a potential six universal fragments as well, at least from what he had seen from her status page. Given that he could not see the partial effect description of her Fragment Of Mind, Jon assumed that it was a relatively recent addition.

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  One that this “Miyoung” might have integrated in the days shortly before becoming a Knight. Integrating a Fragment Of Mind into a Strength Mana Core might not have been the decision that he would make but did not question the intended “build” that Miyoung was trying to form.

  It was possible that she was trying to create more dual-fragment pathways in the future or even triple-fragment pathways upon her ascension to Lordship. She had not yet elevated her Memento Source Item from Mortality to Knighthood which would also dramatically increase her combat effectiveness.

  ‘The Seven-Stringed Reignbow… and the Archon Of Reigning Dragons. Her Title… does it improve the effectiveness of her Memento Source Item? If so, does that me she obtained one before even forming her first Title?’

  ‘If that is the case then…’

  Jon smiled, throwing such thoughts to the back of his mind.

  Perhaps Miyoung-Kim Seydlitz was someone he should tell Delila to look out for. Through his shadow-mutation he could see that Sariel was leading her in the direction of the Creationist Guild headquarters, presumably to meet Avahni. Maliq had long since headed towards the Vanishing Time Palace in order to inform Delila of his findings in Saltstream Town.

  Wilheim and Shamael trailing behind him, both with furrowed brows and stern expressions, even as fellow members of the Merchant Guild congratulated them on their successful defence of Saltstream Town. Jon similarly showing a curious expression before hearing someone knock on the entrance to Harcourt.

  His eyes glancing towards his personal stash of Knight Ranked spiritual items laid out on the bed behind him. Extending his arm out and waving them across the bedroom in front of him, Jon returned all of them back to his [Red Archives Of Mars Quirinus].

  It was not quite yet the time to use them, although he was thankful that his subordinates had managed to finish them all in time. Given that he did not require traditional armour-type spiritual items, he was unsure if Igraine was able to finish them before their enemies arrived at the gates.

  Through virtue of just his Fragment Of Heart alone, Jon raced through the hallways and corridors of the Wonderous Citadel Dwelling before arriving at the grand-looking entrance on the ground floor.

  Minerva-Infiltration Eyes and [Bestial Intuition] allowing him to perceive the presence of Yumis and David. Two individuals from the Transportation Guild and two individuals that had accompanied Wilheim, Shamael and Sariel to Saltstream Town.

  Jon did not hesitate to open the enormous wooden gate that served as the entrance to Harcourt, observing the drus and human curiously, wondering as to why the two of them were here.

  “Yumis! David! It’s good to see the two! How was the mission?” Jon asked, smiling while closing the doors to the Fragment Of Manor behind him. He was wearing a simple Knight Ranked Soft-Comfort Shirt and Warm-Comfort Pants, something which most Knight-level creationists were capable of producing.

  The happy expression on his face wavering as he watched both the Navigator Of Ash And Wind and Conductor Of Dark Storms share a knowing glance. David taking off his tweed cap and letting out a small sigh, shaking his head.

  “Listen Jon… it’s about Yueli and Vaa’mina…” David said, voice trailing off towards the end.

  Yumis bit his lower lip beside his fellow Guild member, scrunching up his face in sorrow at the mention of both their names.

  Jon felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, control over both his Fragment Of Mind and Fragment Of Draconian-Shadows slipping hearing the next words that came out of David’s mouth.

  “The two of them… the two of them did not make it.”

  His Carcosa-Form Horrors surging within the depths of his subconscious mind, gaining another memory and relishing in the overflowing fears and anxieties that Jon was now experiencing.

  Yumis also took off his tweed cap, shaking his head while patting Jon on the shoulder.

  “I’m sorry Jon. Shamael should be able to tell you more but-.”

  His words cut short as the Princeps Of The Wandering Mutation manifested a phantasmal-looking door from weave natured spiritual energy behind him. Glaucus appearing on his shoulders and head, as he stepped through his Violet Door.

  Leaving both Yumis and David at the entrance to the Wonderous Citadel Dwelling, fists clenched, and teeth gritted. Both of them understood the emotions that Jon was feeling right this moment.

  A sensation of helplessness. A feeling of loss. A sense of grief and frustration.

  The Navigator Of Ash And Wind and Conductor Of Dark Storms both shared another glance, the former pulling out a piece of paper from their pocket and crossing off one of the names listed.

  “Whose next again?”

  Break.

  “There is three things that I need to tell you about Avahni first before meeting her.” Sariel said, watching as Miyoung nodded intently at her words.

  The two of them walking through the halls of the Creationist Guild, up the stairs of the Knight Ranked Hopeful-Creation Hall and towards one of the private rooms on the third floor. The human and satanas allowing a group of First-Veined and Second-Veined Knights to walk past them, carrying in their arms enormous crates full of spiritual materials.

  Jiu Mei Lan stirring from within her Fragment Of Summon, catching the scent of some faint draconic properties of some of the materials.

  Her thoughts were ignored by the Archon Of Reigning Dragons, in favour of Sariel’s words instead.

  “The first and perhaps the most important, is to not mention Jon or anything relating to “Jon” in front of her. The two of them had a small falling out a few months ago, and neither has managed to put aside their differences and reconcile.”

  Miyoung blinked, as a sense of realization washed over her Reckless Strength Palace. The short encounter she had with the man known as “Jon” had left a deep imprint within her Fragment Of Mind. Leaving his strength and abilities aside for one moment, his mannerisms and words gave her the impression that he was somewhat of an…

  Well, someone who preferred to scheme and plot rather than fight their opponents outright.

  His nonchalant attitude and blasé expression had formed the image of an older-looking man within her mind. One who sat within the Wonderous Citadel Dwelling, allowing his horrors and shapeless tentacles to envelop the minds of others while he calmly and gracefully sat drinking tea within his study.

  His ability to “steal” Rosenrot from her, even for just a little over an hour had scared her deeply, although had been reassured by Sariel that he was not the type of person to hurt others on whim.

  ‘Although… if he is on bad terms with this “Avahni” person then perhaps their was more to meet the eye in terms of their relationship with one another! Was it a romantic fallout! Or something even more dastardly! Such as a-.’

  Her thoughts were cut short as Sariel listed the second thing.

  “Avahni has the most summoned companions within Springtown. Perhaps even throughout all of the System Introduction. Do not be surprised if one manifests out of the blue. Jibril and Rhidian are two that you have the highest possibility of meeting, although Ru Luan Di and Huo Liyu both tend to manifest, if only to be close to Avahni.”

  “Lots of summoned companions. Got it,” Miyoung replied, nodding her head once more.

  ‘Probably a Summon Mana Core. If she is similar to me and also possesses more of an “outwardly” expressed Source then each of her other Mana Cores might manifest another ability with the Summon Trait.’

  ‘Ten or perhaps eleven summoned companions in total? Still, that is quite a lot.’

  Miyoung thought that just her three summoned companions were enough to almost drive her up the wall. Rosenrot with her constant nagging about integrating fragments. Long Shen Xi about allowing her to roam about the physical world. And Jiu Mei Lan sighing, wishing that she could enjoy the taste of plum-blossom wine once more.

  She could not imagine someone willingly integrating a Summon Mana Core. Too many voices within her Reckless Strength Palace never leaving her alone for too long. Although Miyoung would not trade her Fragment Of Devil, Fragment Of Dragon or Fragment Of Summon for the world, she wishes that their personalities were a little less…

  Flamboyant?

  Conceited?

  Self-centred?

  “And perhaps the most important thing to note about Avahni is that-.”

  Her Fragment Of Scent twitching as a whiff of fire natured spiritual energy flashed through her nose. Miyoung activating both her Fragment Of Heart and Fragment Of Marrow, wrapping her arms around Sariel and throwing their bodies onto the ground.

  The trembling of an explosion rocking the third-floor of the Hopeful-Creation Hall, causing their gazes of many to turn upwards, sighing while shaking their heads. Maliq, who had just recently returned from a debrief with Delila and Amadeus massaged the bridge between his brows.

  “Avahni again?”

  Everyone else around him nodding.

  Maliq sighed.

  “She is… quite prone to exploding.” Sariel muttered.