He had almost reached the campsite.

Jon had not even realized during the fight that he had sustained injuries to his torso and legs. Several cuts earned from crystalline bullets launched towards him, and one particularly large patch of singed flesh gained from straying too close towards one of the searing waves of flame he narrowly dodged.

'Adrenaline is one hell of a drug I guess,' Jon thought to himself, breathing heavily before taking another step forward.

The physical enhancement effect of [Cometh Thy Red Horse Awaits] was the strongest of all his numerous Enhancement Trait abilities. It was even stronger than either of the passive effects born from his Seir-Glacial Heart and Murmur-Glacial Marrow.

If it was not for the fact that Schwarz Eis told him not to use any of the abilities integrated into his Ice Mana Core, Jon would definitely have relied on [Lamentation Of A Frozen Affection] and [Ours Is The Blood That Births Winter And Ice].

The two Mutation Trait abilities did not require spiritual energy in order for Jon to feel their effects, which was an enormous boon all things considered. Overloading his Seir-Glacial Heart or Murmur-Glacial Marrow was a different story, one that brought about its own series of complications and consequences.

"You're almost there Jon. Just a few more steps," said Ashvattha Rana, the golden-green bodhi tree said from within his Sea Of Knowledge.

Jon had not yet explored the changes to his mental construct born as a result of his chance enlightenment. Nor the Mortal Title Fragments he had obtained after his fight with the Malum Goblins. Or which of the optional tasks he had completed.

Although there were no significant modifications to the structure of his five Mana Cores beyond the small centimetre-sized bump Jon had created, he could feel something change about how he manipulated the haze-like spiritual energy that was released from said Mana Cores.

While before Jon relied on increasing the rotation of his Mana Cores to expel the spiritual energy contained within them, now Jon merely required but a thought to increase the rate of his spiritual energy expulsion.

Although Jon had expended all of his ice natured spiritual energy and almost consumed all of his knowledge natured spiritual energy and wood natured spiritual energy, Jon willed his War Mana Core to release more spiritual energy, stretching a thin vapor of silver-red spiritual energy into the world around himself.

Jon could still feel his war natured spiritual energy even after pushing it outside of his body. His eye twitched for a fraction of a second, as he attempted to shape the spiritual energy into a familiar construct, a small, if slightly imperfect looking circle.

When Jon attempted constructing another basic shape in front of him, the eighteen-year-old scrunched up his face in distress as a tremendous amount of pain emanated from his temples. He could feel the waters within his Sea Of Knowledge angrily lap from side to side but took a few moments to regain control over his mental construct.

Jon did not even realize that Ashvattha Rana had manifested herself in the physical world. His hand extended outwards and leaning on her enormous trunk. A notification appearing in the corner of his vision.

[Naraka Of Protection]: Increases mana regeneration.

[Niraya Of Protection]: Increases the amount of healing received from abilities.

"Thanks Rana," said Jon, the pain swiftly vanished as he released his control over his war natured spiritual energy.

"Wait until you have more spiritual energy until practicing external mana control. Usually, it requires the spiritual energy reserves of a Knight, in addition to their sensory capacity in order to practice the manipulation of mana outside of the body," Ashvattha Rana admitted, lifting one of her roots into the air, allowing Jon to use it as a handrail as he walked closer towards the camp.

"External mana control?", Jon could not help but ask.

The enormous bodhi tree shook her leaves and branches in affirmation.

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"While it is considered common knowledge within the integrated universes, those who are still constrained by their Mortality often practice internal mana control after obtaining their first Mana Core. This is the practice that you have begun Jon, which starts with the gradual transformation of the Mana Core into something more than just the spherical gemstone shape its physical appearance suggests."

"This process is a fundamental part of internal mana control. The shape that you decide to transform your Mana Core into will result in certain… advantages and disadvantages down the line. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to this. The process is subjective, and various factors might influence the end result for one person, granting them an immense boon."

"While another might curse themselves for transforming their Mana Core into such a form, preventing them from something else in the future. Although it might sound like a slippery slope, at the end of the day it must be something that you are comfortable with," said Ashvattha Rana, watching as Jon nodded several metres down the length of her exposed root.

"Is there something bad about shaping my Mana Cores into the shape of a tree?" Jon asked his bodhi tree summon.

"Not necessarily. That was a conclusion that you came to on your own so it must feel natural in a certain sense. Regardless of what Rank you have achieved; there is always the possibility of making gradual changes to the shape of your Mana Cores. Also, given how early in the process it is for you Jon, there is always the possibility of changing your mind."

"There is nothing to worry about," Ashvattha Rana said, relieving a burden off Jon's mind.

The eighteen-year-old did not think twice before wanting to transform the shape of his Mana Cores into trees, using the incredible root-system of the Earthen Treasury Womb as the basis for his internal mana control.

Jon wanted his Mana Cores to take the form of a something natural, yet efficient. After discovering that the ambient spiritual energy around himself could be absorbed and assimilated into the spiritual energy within his Mana Cores, Jon desired to transform his Mana Cores into the shape of trees.

Enormous root-structures which could absorb spiritual energy would extend outwards in numerous directions.

Colossal trunks which would support an innumerable number of leaves and branches, would expel spiritual energy towards each of the fragments he had integrated into them.

Perhaps stylistically each would appear distinct from one another, but the system had already started form itself within Jon's mind. His enlightenment, born from the effects of the Earthen Treasury Womb had transformed Jon's understanding of the flow of spiritual energy, their relationship with Mana Cores, and how each of them affected the Source within himself.

It was not something that he could say out loud or even put into words.

But his actions and movements had changed after fighting those Malum Goblins. As if Jon had lived his entire life in black and white, and then without warning, was granted a single instance of colour in his life.

"Oh shi-." Jon felt his knees buckle and his hand slip as Ashvattha Rana extended another root upwards to catch him before he fell. Even his grip strength was effected by the weakening effect of [Cometh Thy Red Horse Awaits].

Jon thanked Ashvattha Rana again, unconsciously lifting his nose and smelling the air around him. As the scent of barbequed meat filled his nostrils, Jon found a burst of strength in his bones that he did not realize he had left in him, trudging forward as he stepped closer and closer towards the tree line.

"Just be careful Jon. You possess an extraordinary amount of wealth on your person for someone who has yet to reach the Sixth Initiation," the bodhi tree warned, watching as Jon shook his head.

"I understand your concerns Rana, but I do not think we have anything to worry about in regard to the four back at camp. Neither Avahni nor Wilheim has anything in the three months that I have known them. While the two newcomers, Sariel and Shamael are somewhat weak for the amount of time the two have spent within the System Introduction, neither of them could pose a threat in the even that violence becomes necessary," Jon stated, not finding either of the two satanas particularly threatening.

Ashvattha Rana nodded her branches once more, sending a loud rustling sound echoing throughout the forest.

"I understand Jon. But please keep in mind just how little spiritual energy you have remaining. [Green Is The Flesh, And Red Is The Blood] is your first priority, and recasting [With Thou In Hand, Even War Shall Be Dyed Yellow] should be your second," suggested Ashvattha Rana.

Jon did agree with her words, knowing that healing his wounds and getting back up to fighting strength, at least in a physical capacity was his most urgent priority at the moment. Spiritual energy regeneration would come with time, even with the effects of [Naraka Of Protection].

Noticing the presence of numerous sources of spiritual energy beyond the tree line, Jon took a deep breath before stepping onto the brown-white sands. The exact moment his figure stepped onto the wide riverbank, Jon could see numerous heads turn towards him, the sound of his sand crunching underneath his feet making his presence known to them.

A certain green-haired lutin turned her head towards him, her eyes widening after noticing the splattering of crimson and green blood across his face and clothes. Avahni did not even so much as blink before picking up Ru Luan Di underneath his arm-shaped roots and carrying him towards Jon, seeing the injuries littering his body.

Wilheim felt his mouth drop, similarly, standing up and rushing up towards Jon.

The sound of his voice, speaking in a heavily accented English echoed throughout the riverbank.

"Jon! What in the world happened to you!?"

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