Jon had never seen an actual explosion before arriving in the System Introduction. Other than the occasional gas or chemical explosion featured on the nightly news, he had never witnessed nor experienced that ear-shattering sound of an uncontrolled detonation.
His battle against the fire-breathing duck had almost blown out one of his eardrums, although its damaging effects did not impact him too harshly.
Against the Malum Hobgoblin he had experienced varying degrees of conceptual explosions, using fear natured and fungi natured spiritual energy as the basis.
After facing off against the Venomous-Sand Hydra and the Horse-Tortoise Chimera he had grown to understand how destructive Knights could be without any inhibitions holding them back. Devoid of the rationality of a sapient lifeform, each one could level a city block with a single overloaded Spell, or with just their physical strength alone given enough time and effort.
Jon had braced himself, knowing that the battle against the Voracious Swarm Mother would inevitably teach him about the differences between a Mortal and a Knight. Seeing the five-hundred-metre wide Hive-Womb Capital float through the air, he could only imagine the Titles, fragments and spiritual items used to form such a powerful Memento Source Item.
In terms of synergistic effects, Anessa Casia exceeded both his Shapeless Mask Of Thieving Lies and Amadeus’ Immortal Training Arena. It complimented its other abilities perfectly, allowing it to literally mass produce flesh constructs faster than any thing any of them had ever seen before.
His Minerva-Infiltration Eyes could do nothing, not even discern its associated Traits.
Miyoung’s [Predator Spell Eyes] similarly insufficient.
Despite all of his strength and all of his knowledge, Jon could do nothing but watch as the Hive-Womb Capital crashed down onto the place he had called home for the past twelve months. Tens of thousands of tonnes worth of waxen biomass hitting the ground and immediately destroying the Wonderous Citadel Dwelling. Wilheim’s Fragment Of Manor crushed beneath the absurd weight of the Memento Source Item, before a dull gust of wind brushed over him, eyes widening in shock as his connection with Miyoung was momentarily disrupted.
A thunderous rumbling echoing throughout Springtown as thousands of sapient lifeforms felt their centre of balances shift as the very ground beneath them started to fracture and crumble. A sound that Jon could only describe as “meteoric” burst his eardrums and the eardrums of everyone within one kilometre of the impact.
The resulting shockwave and burst of spiritual energy causing everything within two-hundred metres of the impact sight to be flattened in an instant. Bursts of spiritual energy resulting in a chain reaction of explosions throughout Springtown.
The sheer amount of heat and kinetic energy generated from the impact causing the very earth to boil and simmer. Dozens of smaller sub-explosions echoing out, producing waves of multi-coloured flame that rushed out in every direction around the Hive-Womb Capital.
Porta; Boundless Heaven Gate was engulfed in a torrent of colourful flames. The surrounding Imperial-Spell Towers and Guardian Walls similarly bathed in walls of fire.
Crevices, tens of dozens of metres long stretched out in every direction imaginable.
Chunks of earth and stone shifting, pushed upwards from the force of the Hive-Womb Capital.
An unfathomable amount of dust and dirt kicked high up into the air. The winds produced from the impact alone would have been enough to knock an uninitiated Mortal onto the ground, if they were not initially killed by the surging flames or the shifting ground beneath them.
Jon could feel the presence of dozens, perhaps even hundreds of mutations flicker for a brief moment before vanishing, snuffed out as though a candle in the wind. Mouth dropping beneath both Lethe and Glaucus as his Fragment Of Regeneration worked to heal his shattered eardrums in an instant.
Several hundred metres up in the air, atop the back of the Graceful Dragon Of Treasured Beauty, Jon and Miyoung observed the rippling damage that scorched the surface of Springtown. So much dust and debris filling the air that even their Knight-Ranked abilities were unable to pierce through all of it.
The constant buzzing of bees and wasps turning dull and quiet. The once vibrant sound of cicadas and locusts growing low and imperceptible, nothing but the sound of shifting earth and roaring flames crackling throughout the streets of Springtown.
Miyoung, not bothering to conceal her appearance behind Themia looked on in horror as she observed the remains of the western sections of the Safe Zone. The Hive-Womb Capital continuing to maintain its structure despite the impact, sitting half-embedded into the earth as though a monument to the surrounding destruction.
“W-what the hell?” Miyoung muttered, half-turning towards Jon behind her.
She could not discern his expression nor his true feelings but could feel emotions such as horror, fear and worry overflowing from his Sea Of Knowledge. His Carcosa-Form Horrors surging within her Reckless Strength Palace, raising its shapeless, putrid head and smiling as it was fed more and more negative emotions.
Her connection with Jiu Mei Lan and Rosenrot gone in an instant. Their concepts returning to their respective fragments.
Jon feeling the same, Ashvattha Rana and Schwarz Eis similarly flowing back into his Fragment Of Tree and Fragment Of Summon. Without Song Lian Yu, he was without all three of his summoned companions, his thoughts and emotions completely his own for the first time in…
More than a year.
His connection with three Worms Of Envy severed as well. The remaining seven still humming with spiritual energy, continuing to gorge on those that had accepted them into their spirit-mutations. His brows furrowed as his mana regeneration rate dropped by almost a third.
“J-Jon! W-what in the world are we supposed to do now!?” Miyoung shouted at him, trying to snap him out of whatever reverie or train of thought his mind had focused on. Looking at the Princeps Of The Wandering Mutation, she could not help but brush her hand against his shoulder, watching as he caught her arm by the wrist.
“What’s done is done. The Hive-Womb Capital crashed into Springtown annihilating the Western Gate. I don’t know about you, but my connections with Eis and Rana have vanished, returning to back to my respective fragments. Right now, our mission remains unchanged.”
“Continue attacking the hive in an effort to draw the Voracious Swarm Mother out. Mitigate any further damage done to the surroundings or the survivors. Protect any nearby Mortals and assist in the retrieval of the injured. Our priorities should be focused on the latter, and the Voracious Swarm Mother second.”
Jon took a deep breath gesturing towards where the Wonderous Citadel Dwelling once stood.
“You and Long Shen Xi should remain airborne. With Lenecia, the two of you will possess an overwhelming advantage against the flightless insects. Establish a line of defence three-hundred metres away from the hive. Nothing goes beyond that line.”
“Understood?”
Miyoung nodded her head in response, gesturing for Long Shen Xi to move closer towards the ground. Her Tiamat-Duality Hearts regaining their regular rhythm, calming herself physically rather than mentally.
“What about you?” She could not help but ask.
She watched as Jon manifested both his Thulian Rainspear and Spear Of Cedarwood Transformations. Although lacking roughly eighty percent of his maximum ice natured spiritual energy his Spear Mana Core had regained more than half of its expended spiritual energy.
[Frosted Requiem Of The White Spellstar] despite its usefulness would not be able to be used in the short-term. [Inverted Fool, Advancing Against Life And Death] would be the play until more of his spiritual energy had been restored.
“… Me? I’m going to inside that thing.” He said, lifting Assail and pointing in the direction of the hive. Miyoung’s eyes widening in response, shaking her head vigorously in disapproval.
“What! You cannot be serious! There might still be hundreds, if not thousands of insects still inside! A good portion of which will be Lord-level! Not to mention the Voracious Swarm Mother itself whose abilities we still don’t-.”
“Miyoung.” Jon interrupted. His words causing the woman to pause mid-sentence, staring at him and feeling the emotions that flowed into her from his Fragment Of Shapeless-Carcosa.
The corners of his mouth curving upwards beneath Lethe.
“I need you to understand, that I am not overestimating myself. I may lack the advantages that come with using a bow but down here on the ground, with two-dimensional space all around me-.”
“I won’t lose.”
Long Shen Xi trembling as she felt something brush up against her shadow. The Graceful Dragon Of Treasured Beauty feeling her eyes widen in shock as she noticed a shadow-mutation entwining with her own. Jon’s Shapeless Mask Of Thieving Lies transforming the epoch-heart dragon-esque structure of his Hades-Draconian Shadow.
Giving it a somewhat… horrifying appearance.
Sprouting more wings than what was appropriate.
Opening more eyes than what seemed necessary.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Growing rows of serrated teeth across his limbs, tails and wings.
Perverted horns reminiscent of the White Devil Of The Ninth Circle sprouting from where his once majestic antlers once grew.
His Carcosa-Form Horrors mimicking the structure of his shadow. Rising up behind him as though a twisted reflection of the Princeps Of The Wandering Mutation. Similarly, through the effects of Lethe, Jon was able to give his Fragment Of Shapeless-Carcosa a more defined structure, allowing it to more properly mimic his height and physicality.
Alongside his Archetype Treasured-Avarice, manifesting in the form of a three-metre tall eight-legged wolf. Although a Fragment Of Treasure seemed wasteful in comparison to a Fragment Of War or even a Fragment Of Manifestation, Ru Luan Di assured him that the resulting triple-fragment pathway would be anything but lacklustre.
[Fragment Of Avaritia]
[With Thou In Hand, Even War Will Be Dyed Yellow]
(War, Avaritia, Ability, Technique, Spell, Construct, Buff)
(Treasure)
Effect (Knight): Elevate your manifested Archetype Avarice into an Archetype Treasured-Avarice. The Archetype Treasured-Avarice now contains within it the conceptual understandings treasure, wealth, and greed.
The Archetype Treasured-Avarice is now capable of discovering treasures within a defined radius.
The Archetype Treasured-Avarice is now capable of treated “claimed” debuffs and afflictions as “treasures” capable of been hoarded and accumulated. These “treasures” will increase the wealth and value of the Archetype Treasured-Avarice up to a maximum threshold. Upon reaching the threshold transform all treasures into instances of [Golden Treasure] and [Avaricious Protection].
[Golden Treasure]: Inflicts a war-natured recovery-over-time-effect. War natured spiritual energy surges within the flesh and spirit, regenerating natural lifeforce. Additional stacks have an additive effect.
[Avaricious Protection]: Manifests an impenetrable spiritual shield of war natured spiritual energy. [Avaricious Protection] will withstand a single blow before shattering.
His Knight-Ranked Fragment Of Incarnation manifesting behind him, baring its illusory fangs towards the Archon Of Reigning Dragons. Miyoung’s eyes widening as she felt a burst of knowledge natured, war natured and weave natured spiritual energy overflow from Jon’s Mana Cores.
“See if you can get in contact with either Sariel or Wilheim as well. The two of them possess powerful supportive abilities and neither one should have been caught in the explosion either. Inform them of my position and tell them to rendezvous with me inside the Hive-Womb Capital.”
“And… if you see Ava-. Never mind.” His Sea Of Knowledge clamping down on this specific thought, pulling it down to the depths of his Sea Of Hadal. His focus moving towards his other mutation-type abilities.
[Bestial Intuition] and Minerva-Infiltration Eyes similarly surging with spiritual energy heightening his five senses to pierce through the dust-filled haze. The Graceful Dragon Of Treasured Beauty low enough for Jon to step off without damaging his muscles or bones.
His head gazing upwards towards his bow-wielding companion, giving her a small nod before severing the connection between her Reckless Strength Palace and his Carosa-Form Horrors.
“Don’t do anything reckless.” He said.
Watching as the corners of Miyoung’s mouth curled upwards, morphing into something in-between a smirk and a smile.
“I could say the same thing about you.”
Break.
Jon walked through the ruined streets of Springtown; the sounds of his footsteps dulled against the piles of dirt and dust all around him. Half-broken clumps of brick and shattering pieces of wood laying in every direction around him; the corpses of both insects and his comrades occasionally visible, buried beneath buildings or crushed beneath shifted stone.
His grip on the Spear Of Cedarwood Transformations tightened as he shifted some of the spiritual items he had equipped to his person. His Knight Ranked Wood Talisman and Knight Ranked Golden-Shield Ring vanishing, replaced with usual Spirit-Protection Shirt and Metal-Thread Pants.
Fighting will two spears meant that he would be unable to activate his Yaochi-Mudra Prana. The effects of his five-fingered hand sign would have to be substituted by the combined effect of his two other spiritual items.
His [Bestial Intuition] causing his brows to twitch, hearing the sounds of distant skittering.
His enhanced senses picking up on the sounds of heavy breathing causing him to pause his stride, turning his head towards his two o’clock direction. His foot tapping against the soft earth beneath him causing his shadow-mutation to surge, detaching from the soles of his feet.
Hades-Draconian Shadow swimming across the earth, swishing its myriad tails and propelling itself further forward. Mutated through the effects of his Shapeless Mask Of Thieving Lies, it possessed far too many eyes and more limbs that what seemed necessary for a dragon.
His Fragment Of Draconian Shadow sharing its senses with Jon, allowing him to see through its myriad eyes. Able to feel the faint tremors caused by the sprinting figure and the several dozen chitinous legs trailing behind it. Its thirty-metre-long figure flowing across fallen debris, moving in graceful silence.
With seconds reaching the Hades-Draconian Shadow reached the sprinting woman. A First-Veined nadian whose sources of spiritual energy were swiftly dwindling. Jon did not hesitate to command his Fragment Of Draconian-Shadows to swim between her legs, brushing his enormous shadow-mutation against her mutation-less one.
The Hades-Draconian Shadow caused the woman to pause, feeling something brush up against her legs. Her last semblance of fire natured spiritual energy forming a fireball in the palm of her hand; one that swiftly dissipated upon seeing the familiar-looking shadow-mutation.
“… No way… is that what I think it is?” She muttered.
The woman unconsciously felt her eyes water; knees trembling at the realization.
“… Princeps… I’m saved… Rushia… Goliva… I’m so sorry…” The woman breaking out into a muffled sob, falling onto the ground, not a single iota of strength left in her legs. Her insufficient mastery over her Fragment Of Mind causing her emotions to overflow uncontrollably, tears falling down the sides of her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry…”
She almost did not notice the presence of a certain white-armoured figure appear beside her, watching as he placed a Mortal Ranked Life-Blood Potion and Mortal Ranked Life-Will Potion on the ground beside her.
His expression unable to be discerned, his tone equally emotionless.
“Are there any other survivors from the Western Gate?”
The woman in question, whose name he observed to be “Grenadine Bolo” nodded her head vigorously gesturing in multiple directions all around her.
“Delila ordered us to gather at the Boundless Heaven Gate. She teleported as many of us as she could to the Northern and Eastern Gates. She ran out of spiritual energy halfway through, leaving only those willing to stay behind.” The woman sniffled.
“Some of us teleported away using our own abilities while the rest of us were forced to manifest shield effects in order to brace ourselves against the descending hive. Schwarz Eis Seir stayed behind as well…”
Jon nodded his head, inwardly relieved. His head half-turning in the direction of his extended shadow-mutation. Through the myriad eyes of his Hades-Draconian Shadow, he was able to discern dozens of approaching Knight-level insects; several times that number continuing to overflow from the Hive-Womb Capital.
“Head to the Creationist Guild Headquarters. Regroup with any of the other survivors before informing Amadeus and Regulus of the situation.” Jon spoke, not bothering to watch as Grenadine nodded her head in response to his words.
“Y-Yes Princeps!” She replied, wiping away a few tears before standing back up. Her Knight-level senses able to detect several approaching insects through the dust-filled haze, expression paling before-.
“Don’t worry about them. Nothing will go further beyond three-hundred-metres away from the Hive-Womb Capital. Just focus on getting to the Creationist Guild.” He declared, smiling beneath his Heretical Chalk Protection.
Grenadine observing his subtler movements, seeing the Princeps almost imperceptibly shift his head as if nodding towards something in the distance. Her eyes widening in response as a rush of knowledge natured spiritual energy spilled out from his Mana Core, filling his shadow-mutation with an even greater strength.
A dull thud echoing out in the distance before hearing the sounds of insects cry out and the scent of blood tickle her nostrils. Grenadine activated her Fragment Of Eyes, piercing through the dust and dirt observing the bizarre battle between truck-sized insects and a shadow with far too many limbs.
The Hades-Draconian Shadow under the effects of the Shapeless Mask Of Thieving Lies had grown two additional heads and three-pairs of wings. More than a dozen tails swished out behind it, and an innumerable number of clawed-hands slashed out in every direction imaginable, carving through chitinous flesh and hardened exoskeleton.
Whenever it chomped down with one of its three-heads, bite-shaped wounds manifested across the bodies of these insects. Whenever it pierced through the shadowed underbellies with one of its tails, puncture-wounds manifested in similar positions. Whenever the Hades-Draconian Shadow slashed out with one of its extended claws, jagged-lines appeared on the insects around it, deep and affliction ridden.
[Umbral Maledictum]: Inflicts a continuous knowledge-natured damage over time effect. Knowledge natured spiritual energy contorts the shadow, reflecting a portion of the damage back onto the flesh and bone. Additional stacks have an additive effect.
[Draconis Anathema]: Reduces resistances towards knowledge-natured damages, afflictions and debuffs. Additional stacks have an additive effect.
Whenever one of these insects tried to spew poisonous saliva all of it, the Hades-Draconian Shadow slithered away, concealing itself behind the shadow of its fellow insect. Insects that regurgitated potent stomach acid melted stone and brick but did not once touch the Hades-Draconian Shadow.
Its form was fluid. Everchanging.
Where there was once structure and a defined length of shadow, through Lethe, the Hades-Draconian Shadow could now shrink to half his size, more humanoid that draconic. With each passing moment, continuing to slash out with its innumerable number of claws, or thrusting out with its dozen-or-so spear-tipped tails.
Within the span of two minutes, the Fragment Of Draconian Shadow had killed more than a dozen different Knight-level insects.
Her mouth dropping in awe, seeing how the shadow-mutation dismantled these flesh constructs with ease. The monstrosity of a pseudo-independent spiritual construct pausing for a moment realizing that it had killed all of its intended targets before slithering away continuing to search for more insects.
Grenadine did realize that the Knight-level flesh constructs lacked spiritual energy of their own, relying solely on their Knight-level physiques. When faced against the Hades-Draconian Shadow, which lacked form and neither produced sound nor scent, their strength failed them, leaving them as defenceless as an uninitiated mortal.
‘Holy…’
‘How the hell is someone supposed to defend against that? It moves like water and carves through shadows as though they were formed from paper. Is a defensive shadow-type ability one that I should look to obtain for myself?’
[Thou Is Mine Shadow, Born From Dragons And Knowledge] was perhaps the most famous ability throughout all of Springtown. It was the ability that he was renowned for and one that was unmistakable, regardless of who was observing it.
Jon taking a single step forward, knowing that Grenadine had not left yet.
“Go.” Was all he needed to say before the young nadian straightened her back, nodding vigorously before running off in the direction of the Creationist Guild. His Minerva-Infiltration Eyes glancing back at her the moment she crossed the three-hundred-metre mark, allowing a small sigh to escape his lips.
His feet carrying him towards the Hive-Womb Capital, crunching pieces of broken glass and shattered bricks with each stride taken. Spear natured spiritual energy expended again and again, as he restored the number of multiple spear detonations he had available to him.
Both his Archetype Twinleaf and Archetype Treasured-Avarice churning within his chest.
A dark-red haze of war natured spiritual energy enveloping his form as he entered [Le Mat Avancement].
Carcosa-Form Horrors slithering its way out from the depths of his mind, manifesting in the form of a twisted version of himself, seven-feet tall and wielding two blackened-spears that seemed half-melded into his flesh and bones. It wore a perversion of the Mask Of Jade Lies, adorned in a wide smile, one that seemed to reveal far too many teeth.
Jon now stood less than one hundred metres away from the Hive-Womb Capital, eyes narrowing before focusing on the hundreds of insects skittering across its external structure.
“… This time, I won’t miss.”
