The depths of the Hive-Womb Capital were lightless and foul; Glaucus and Lethe unable to filter the putrid scent of half-digested biomass and waste matter that formed the walls and tunnels within the Memento Source Item. Lacking the hardness and rigid structure of the external waxen-biomass that he had stood upon, Jon found the internal structure of the Hive-Womb Capital even more unpleasant in person.

  Swarm natured spiritual energy flowed in every direction around him, surging through the walls, floors, and ceilings of Anessa Casia. A soft breeze brushing against his exposed skin, emanating from deep within the Memento Source Item.

  ‘Wind Mana Core. Flesh Mana Core. Life Mana Core. Creation Mana Core. Insect Mana Core. And Gluttony Mana Core. Not to mention the Swarm Mana Core that has been integrated into the Hive-Womb Capital.’

  ‘The Voracious Swarm Mother specializes in the creation of living flesh constructs. I dare say that each of her Mana Cores possesses one such related ability. Perhaps even more when considering her Creation Mana Core. She possesses one Wind Trait and Gluttony Trait shield-type ability which can disrupt area-of-effect abilities.’

  Jon took a deep breath through his nose, exhaling slowly through his mouth.

  ‘I would have liked to resummon Eis, but I need all the ice natured spiritual energy I can muster. Song might be the better option but-.’

  His eyes narrowed observing a surging mass of chitinous flesh and skittering legs approach him under the cover of darkness. The tunnels around him widening and expanding, several new openings appearing all over the walls around him.

  The Voracious Swarm Mother transforming his current position into an intersection where all her forces could gather. His [Bestial Intuition] noticing that the entrance he had used to arrive in the Hive-Womb Capital had closed, dozens upon dozens of layers of hardened biomass growing where there was once light.

  Insects swarmed towards him with a reckless abandon, launching barrages of acidic saliva or toxic venom in his direction. There was no concern for the damaging effects of their inherent abilities on the Hive-Womb Capital, merely focusing on eliminating the target right in front of them.

  Jon responding by slamming both Luin and Assail into the ground, extending both hands outward and muttering the beginnings of another Spell effect.

  “I once heard a tale, of a man who could sever the red-string of fate. Who could rend lies from truth. A man who could look into the heart of darkness, and slash through the nightmares that plagued the soul of man.”

  “This is the tale of a man and his thread, who sought to end the enmities born from karma and love.”

  [Fragment Of Slash]

  [Spring Weave Art; Ten Thousand Flower Threads]

  (Weave, Slash, Technique, Spell, Ability, Debuff)

  (Blossom)

  Effect (Knight): The [Spring Weave Art; Ten Thousand Flower Threads] is now capable of causing manifested thread-shaped constructs to “blossom” expanding from their initial size in defined directions.

  Objects, individuals or other spiritual constructs that come into physical contact with the thread-shaped constructs will receive varying degrees of weave natured damage and now additionally become inflicted with instances of [Wound Blossom Curse] and [Flower Spring Curse].

  [Wound Blossom Curse]: Reduces the effectiveness of abilities with the Recovery Trait. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

  [Flower Spring Curse]: Reduces the effectiveness of abilities with the Flower Trait and Spring Trait. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

  [Spring Weave Art; Ten Thousand Flower Threads]

  Jon slashed forwards with both hands, ten thousand flower threads gathering on the tips of each finger. Near-imperceptible threads of weave natured spiritual energy manifesting in the space in front of him. Making sure not to come into contact with each of the threads, Jon activated the Spells Knight-Ranked effects, allowing each thread to “blossom” expanding in both size and thickness.

  Launching themselves forward in perfect unison towards the approaching herd of Knight-level insects.

  Their barrage of acidic saliva and toxic venom ‘slashed’ losing part of their momentum and crashing onto the ground, patches of neatly ordered insect-fluids corroding the floors of the Hive-Womb Capital. Jon continued to watch on as his Spell effect crashed into the first layer of Knight-level insects before feeling another malicious breeze brush up against his exposed skin.

  [Threefold Wind Art; Disruptive Gale Of Protection].

  Layered barriers of surging winds disrupting the further progression of his spring weave art. Threads of weave natured spiritual energy shattering moments after coming into contact with the disruptive gale of protection, forcing Jon to engage with the insects in close-quarters combat.

  Flesh natured spiritual energy saturating the very air around Jon; fingers twitching as he extended his hands back towards his two summoned weapons.

  [Spore Flesh Art; Microscopic Tissue Explosion].

  Miniscule flesh-spores raining down from the shadowed ceilings of the Hive-Womb Capital. His Minerva-Infiltration Eyes able to perceive the snowflake-shaped spores blanket the area around him.

  [Bestial Intuition] forcing him to abandon the Spear Of Cedarwood Transformations, dismissing it while flowing additional wood natured spiritual energy into his Yaochi-Mudra Prana. His hand adopting a five-fingered hand sign, manifesting a spiritual shield around his person.

  [Naraka Kalasutra]: Reveals the non-self. Five-fingered hand sign. Manifests a self-regenerating spiritual shield formed from wood natured spiritual energy.

  Flesh natured spiritual energy crashing into his spiritual shield, causing it to waver and his reserves of wood natured spiritual energy to drop by more than then percent. The appearance of the Heretical Chalk Protection shifting so that it covered the entirety of his head and shoulders, preventing anything, including air from entering.

  His figure flickering from one side of the chamber to the other, slashing the Thulian Rainspear through the reinforced exoskeleton of a nearby Knight-level insect. Instances of [Raining Dream] and [Orchid Dream] wreaking havoc throughout its internal organs.

  His physical enhancements allowing him to dance in-between armoured-flesh beetles and hungry-maw termites with an unfathomable ease. Minerva-Infiltration Eyes observing the shifting flesh-spores all around him, avoiding direct contact with them occasionally piercing through them using Luin or the Spell effect contained within it.

  Thrust after thrust and slash after slash generated an inordinate amount of [Fool Charges]. Upon reaching the maximum threshold of said charges, Jon immediately sacrificed them, regenerating a minuscule amount of spiritual energy split evenly between his six Mana Cores.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Although… it was not without a price.

  Traces of flesh-warped oxygen seeping through one of the gaps in his Heretical Chalk Protection. Jon could hold his breath for more than fifteen minutes unassisted while swimming gracefully in shallow waters.

  Moving at such high-speeds with both his Seir-Perpetual Heart and Murmur-Arhat Marrow enhancing his physical capabilities, reduced this time significantly; increasing his oxygen requirements with each pound of force produced from each thrust, slash, or swift set of movements.

  The corner of his vision filled to the brim with an assortment of different debilitating effects.

  [Flesh Spore Curse]: Inflicts a continuous flesh-natured damage over time effect.

  [Tissue Explosion Curse]: Inflicts a continuous flesh-natured damage over time effect.

  [Microscopic Spore Curse]: Inflicts a continuous flesh-natured damage over time effect.

  [Tissue Mutation Curse]: Inflicts a continuous flesh-natured damage over time effect.

  [Mind Flesh Debilitation]: Reduces the effectiveness of all abilities with the Mind Trait. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

  [Spore Hunger Debilitation]: Reduces the effectiveness of all abilities with the Food Trait or Stomach Trait. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

  Jon letting out a small tsk, feeling his Archetype Twinleaf transfer said debuffs away from him. Archetype Treasured-Avarice doing the same seconds later. Additional buffing effects filling his vision, swiftly dismissed as quickly as each one appeared.

  [One With Green] and [Leaf Division] from his Fragment Of Incarnation. [Avaricious Yellow], [Golden Treasure], and [Avaricious Protection] from his Fragment Of Avaritia. War natured spiritual energy saturating each one of his blows, stealing lifeforce and restoring his expended stamina.

  The effects of [Avaricious Protection] allowing him to drop his [Naraka Kalasutra], instead extending his palm outwards and activating his Longinus-Rune Spirit. Dozens of intangible lance-shaped constructs manifesting in every direction around him, launching towards in an instant, targeting each of the approaching insects.

  Each step he took sounded the knell for three, perhaps even four insects all at once. Without even requiring him to use his Carcosa-Form Horrors or Hades-Draconian Shadow. Spiritual energy continuing to regenerate as he toggled the effects of his Fragment Of Battle-Deception, stepping in and out of [Le Mat Avancement].

  Spiritual energy regenerated enough to allow him another safe usage of his Fragment Of Eradication. The corners of his mouth curving upwards, thrusting Luin downwards, while simultaneously chanting another Spell effect.

  “I proclaim this battle to warrant the blood-red sin of wrath! The painful chains of virtue shall restrain thine desires no longer! I prostate myself before the heretical altar adorned with blood and skulls. The blasphemous pleasure of war shall become a paradise for the sinful and the decadent!”

  [Wrath Is The Paradise Whispered On Thou Lips].

  [Fragment Of Ira]

  [Wrath Is The Paradise Whispered On Thou Lips]

  (Spear, Ira, Spell, Technique, Buff, Debuff)

  (Courage)

  Effect (Knight): [Wrath Is The Paradise Whispered On Thou Lips] now fills oneself with a wrathful and warring courage. While under the effects of [Wrath Is The Paradise Whispered On Thou Lips] additionally gain an instance of [Wrathful Courage Blessing], [Courage Benedicite] and [Arrogant Red Sin].

  [Wrathful Courage Blessing]: Each successful strike against a target will inflict them with a random instance of a preexisting debuff or affliction. If the target does not possess a debuff or affliction, inflict instances of [Arrogant Red Sin] or [Virtuous Red Sin] instead.

  [Courage Benedicite]: Increases resistances towards mind-related damages, afflictions, and debuffs. Increases resistances towards fear-related damages, afflictions, and debuffs. Increases resistances towards emotion-related damages, afflictions, and debuffs.

  [Arrogant Red Sin]: Inflicts a continuous spear-damage over time effect. Spear natured spiritual energy corrupts the mind and flesh, twisting the senses and distorting emotions. Additional stacks have an additive effect.

  One ended, reverse the effects of [Wrath Is The Paradise Whispered On Thou Lips] for an equal duration.

  [Virtuous Red Sin] and [Arrogant Red Sin] piercing their way deep into his flesh, mind and spirit, their effects unable to be transferred away while his Fragment Of Ira was active. In addition to the three new effects that his ability had obtained at Knighthood, Jon felt the Mortal Ranked effects of [Wrath Is The Paradise Whispered On Thou Lips] surge its way through Luin and his Three Seas Of Knowledge.

  Spear natured spiritual energy manifested manifold reflections of the Thulian Rainspear, carving deep gashes into the sides of metallic-carapace beetles and piercing-poison hornets.

  Spinning on the balls of his feet, Jon slashed out in a near-three-hundred-and-sixty degree arc, spear-blades carving through flesh, bone and hardened carapace in the process. Dozens of instances of debuffs were inflicted within a single strike, the combined effects of [Courage Benedicite] and [Ira Benedicite] granting him temporary resistances to half-a-dozen different types of mana.

  Although perhaps still the most valuable effect of his Fragment Of Ira was-.

  [Decadent Spear Blessing].

  Three strikes against an armoured-flesh beetle generating over two dozen [Fool Charges] in an instant. Spiritual energy regenerating almost as swiftly as he could expend it. Combined with his natural regenerations and the effects of his Worms Of Envy, Jon had attained a level of regeneration that was almost unheard of at Knighthood.

  ‘Almost there… I’ve almost got enough spiritual energy for-.’

  [Bestial Intuition].

  His foot half-raised in the air, poised and ready for his next step suddenly halted, centre of gravity shifting as his back bent backwards almost ninety-degrees. A horrifying burst of life natured spiritual energy shooting through the air, twisted-green in colour.

  [Corrosive Life Art; Slashing Beam Corruption].

  His eyes widening in shock as the beam of spiritual energy shifted, moving downwards towards him rather than petering out and dissipating. Several instances of [Avaricious Protection] shattered in an instant, forcing Jon back on the defensive as he instinctively activated his wood spiritual vein.

  [Imperial Wood Art; Towering Tree Barrier].

  Saplings sprouting out from the ground beneath his feet. Saplings whose growth were swiftly interrupted by disruptive gales of protection and spiritual mouth shields.

  ‘Shit!’

  Jon forced to angle himself in such a manner that allowed his Heretical Chalk Protection to bear the brunt of the blow. Glaucus shattering in an instant under its relentless barrage, manifesting another war natured spiritual shield around him, and instances of [Heretical Chalk Battlefield] and [Blasphemous Chalk Battlefield].

  [Heretical Chalk Battlefield]: Each successful strike against enemies will regenerate a miniscule amount of war natured spiritual energy.

  [Blasphemous Chalk Battlefield]: Each successful strike against enemies will reduce the mana expenditure of your next Spell.

  More debuffs and afflictions appearing in the corner of his vision. All of which were dismissed and ignored with a thought, transferred away by his Fragment Of Incarnation and Fragment Of Avaritia. Thrusting the Thulian Rainspear forward, Jon allowed it to divert the flow of the life natured beam, gritting his teeth as he felt his summoned weapon begin to crack under the immense pressure.

  His face, now obscured by nothing but the Shapeless Mask Of Thieving Lies showed an expression of struggle, gritting his teeth before throwing away any shred of hesitation in his mind.

  ‘It might not be as much spiritual energy as I would have wanted…’

  ‘But it’ll have to do!’

  Spear natured spiritual energy flowing from his Mana Core into his Fragment Of Eradication, manifesting in the form of a sixty-metre-long thulian cross-spear above his head. Luin overloaded with a stupendous amount of spiritual energy, continuing to resist the violent stream of life natured spiritual energy shooting towards him.

  “Try resisting this!” Jon roared, his figure bathed in a bright pink glow.

  Eight illusory, half-transparent, thulian cross-spears manifesting beside the original.

  [Wrath Is The Paradise Whispered On Thou Lips].

  [Imperial Spear Art; Vajra-Spear Extinction].

  The skies above the Hive-Womb Capital turning pink; dozens of survivors gazing up towards the familiar looking spear-constructs. Irresistible vajra-spears shooting down with the strength and speed of a bolt of lightning, piercing through the hardened exterior of Anessa Casia.

  The ground once again trembling, sending powerful vibrations down into the earth…

  And towards the centre chamber of the Hive-Womb Capital.

  An Eris-Thieving Grin looking upwards, smiling before continuing deeper in.