[Fragment Of Armour] [Behold Thy Heretical Armour, Adorned In Chalk Light] (War, Armour, Summon, Spell, Defensive, Shield, Buff)

Effect (Mortal): Summon Glaucus; Heretical Chalk Pauldrons. Glaucus is a pseudo-spiritual construct formed from the coalescence of a Fragment Of Armour and a War Mana Core. Glaucus contains within it the faintest traces of a chalk battlefield, a bloodied horizon dyed white in remembrance of those who have fallen.

Glaucus clads the shoulders and biceps in pale, chalk-coloured pauldrons capable of resisting physical strikes and blows. While wearing Glaucus, chant then manifest a shield of war natured spiritual energy around oneself, capable of absorbing sources of damage up to a maximum threshold. Upon reaching this threshold, Glaucus will shatter granting oneself an instance of [Heretical Chalk Battlefield].

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

Jon opened his mouth to speak, but paused for a few moments, rubbing his eyes while blinking as he gazed towards the final line in [Behold Thy Heretical Armour, Adorned In Chalk Light] effect description. He almost thought that he was dreaming, rereading the description of [Heretical Chalk Battlefield] once more.

'Each successful strike against enemies will regenerate a miniscule amount of war natured spiritual energy…' Jon's eyes widened, seeing such a unique effect attached to his Fragment Of Armour.

Lifting his head, Jon turned towards Ashvattha Rana, repeating the effect description of [Behold Thy Heretical Armour, Adorned In Chalk Light] to the enormous bodhi tree. In response, the Earthen Treasury Womb merely rustled her leaves and branches as if imitating a shrugging motion.

"Abilities that can restore miniscule amounts of spiritual energy are not all that uncommon Jon. If anything, it should be more of a surprise that you did not manifest such an ability before this point," said Ashvattha Rana, watching as Jon furrowed his brows.

Jon was annoyed that his other Mana Cores did not possess such an ability. [With Thou In Hand, Even War Shall Be Dyed Yellow] also stole a miniscule amount of lifeforce from his opponent with each successful strike against them, although that was primarily a type of recovery effect, even if his Fragment Of Avaritia did not possess the Recovery Trait.

The fact that through [Heretical Chalk Battlefield] Jon could produce spiritual energy during combat, allowed him to be more aggressive when overloading abilities integrated into his War Mana Core. Although at the moment Jon only possessed [The Fools Advance, Inversing Life And Death] in addition to [With Thou In Hand, Even War Shall Be Dyed Yellow], the remaining three slots in his War Mana Core could possess abilities with a greater dependence on spiritual energy.

Jon was somewhat regretful that he integrated his Fragment Of Annihilation into his Ice Mana Core, and Fragment Of Eradication into his Spear Mana Core. Both fragments were extraordinarily spiritual energy heavy, the former requiring half of his maximum mana in order to be cast just once.

Jon was about to pocket the Fragment Of Invidia but found one of the roots belonging to his summoned companion prod him gently in the chest. Lifting his head up towards the main trunk of the Earthen Treasury Womb, Jon showed a confused expression watching as Ashvattha Rana gestured towards the fragment in his hand.

"I think… I think it would be better if you integrated the Fragment Of Invidia now Jon," suggested the bodhi tree, watching Jon's reaction as he stopped his hand halfway into his pocket.

The young human raised an eyebrow, glancing down at the Fragment Of Invidia for a fraction of a second before turning back towards Ashvattha Rana. His expression was interested, and the reaction was noticed by everyone else present.

The conversations between Avahni and Wilheim, and Sariel and Shamael had long since gone quiet. The four participants of the System Introduction all just stared at the small mountain of fragments that Jon had just pulled out of his backpack, in addition to pile of multi-coloured Mana Cores that sat idly amongst the sands.

Avahni felt particularly interested towards two Mana Cores. One coloured an exquisite combination of brown and yellow, continuously releasing a dull brownish-yellow light.

The other, an almost electric-blue coloured Mana Core. The minute emanations of spiritual energy that the Mana Core released were erratic but stronger than anything else the lutin had ever felt before.

Shamael on the other hand, seemed quite interested in a putrid greenish-yellow Mana Core that the satanas had identified as a Fungi Mana Core. The fungus natured spiritual energy that it released seemed to contain within it concepts relating to life, death and transformations between the two.

There was another bright crimson coloured Mana Core that also seemed to call out to him, but the yearning within his chest for the Blood Mana Core was not nearly as prevalent as it was for the Fungi Mana Core.

Wilheim and Sariel did not linger on the numerous Mana Cores that Jon had placed beside himself, neither one feeling any sort of desire towards the selection of spherical gemstones that Jon had accumulated.

With the addition of the Lake Mana Core Wilheim had integrated, the floresiensis had similarly reached the Fifth Initiation just as Jon had, while Sariel herself had reached the Fourth Initiation within the last few days.

Stolen novel; please report.

The Lotus Mana Core was an interesting one in comparison to her Life Mana Core, Shield Mana Core, and Space Mana Core, but not one without its inherent synergies with several of her other abilities.

All four of Jon's companions felt some sort of desire towards at least one of the fragments within his possession.

Fragments Of Leaf with leafy-green vein patterns stretching across its surface.

Fragments Of Impurity with retched brown-black splotches scattered across its glassy exterior.

Fragments Of Order emanating a gorgeous blue-silver light.

Fragments Of Vermillion containing within it the violent heat of a roaring flame, traces of trapped embers visible inside the fingernail-sized gemstone.

Fragments Of Bird adorned with brown-feather shaped patterns, releasing the quiet cries of ten thousand different avians.

Fragments Of Fruit capable of releasing a sweet and enticing scent, shaped into a perfect sphere, with a colour reminiscent of ripe apples.

Fragments Of Legs shaped into a flesh-coloured rectangular prism.

Fragments Of Obscurity cloaked in a dark veil of hazy shadows.

"With so many different fragments in my possess Rana, why did you want me to integrate this Fragment Of Invidia?" Jon asked, using his free hand to gesture towards the dozens of fragments beside him.

The enormous bodhi tree remained quiet for a few seconds, before extending one of her lower branches towards Jon, once again prodding him in the chest. This time however, the Earthen Treasury Womb placed significantly more force behind the initially gentle action.

Jon winced, feeling a flash of pain bloom on his chest, stretching upwards towards his shoulder. The eighteen-year-old narrowed his brows in annoyance before feeling the emanations of familiar emotions through his connection to his Fragment Of Tree.

His Sea Of Knowledge surging in response to the negative emotions that Ashvattha Rana shared with him.

Worry.

Nervousness.

Fear.

Concern.

Apprehension.

The emotions that Jon had long since either ignored or suppressed within his Sea Of Knowledge came bleeding through the connection Ashvattha Rana possessed with him. Although Jon himself knew that Ashvattha Rana was a living breathing creature in her own right, he did not quite realize that she too felt the same emotions that he did.

Every time Jon was injured during battle or risked his life to defeat an enemy stronger than himself, Ashvattha Rana was worried. Even if he was confident in his abilities, or that his strength was greater than that of his opponent, Ashvattha Rana was fearful for his safety.

Although summoned companions were traditionally used as frontline combatants, or shields for their summoners to hide behind, Ashvattha Rana no longer possessed the abilities that she once prided herself upon. Now, the Earthen Treasury Womb played the role of a stationary, supportive summoned companion capable of assisting Jon and his allies during combat or with healing their wounds.

Jon was the one that had to defend her, rather than Ashvattha Rana as the one to defend Jon.

"When you become a Knight Jon, I was hoping to regain some of my previous abilities. Things such as lifeforce manipulation and storing excess spiritual energy regeneration were things that I had in mind. But I find myself… displeased with the fact that I am unable to contribute during combat," Ashvattha Rana stated, the pair communicating in English, despite Wilheim able to discern half of what the human and bodhi tree were talking about.

"I know that wishing for offensive capabilities is not the direction in which I desire to strengthen myself. Nor do I want to obtain abilities similar to Schwarz Eis, possessing a more defensive position amongst the three of us. But at the moment I just feel so-," Ashvattha Rana halted her words halfway through her sentence, noticing Jon stand up and place his hand on her trunk.

The young human smiled, shaking his head from side to side. Although small and seemingly unimportant, the gesture seeming to relieve some of the tension between himself and the Earthen Treasury Womb.

"I won't make excuses and say that I understand how you are feeling Rana. I won't lie to you like that. But if you feel reassured that integrating the Fragment Of Invidia will help keep me safe, then that is all the justification I need to integrate it," Jon declared, accepting the system notification in the corner of his vision.

Although Wilheim was the only person present that could understand the English language to a degree, both Titus Claudius and Ru Luan Di shared a glance, the former nodding at the exchange between Jon and Ashvattha Rana.

Even though summoned companions were technically considered not true living beings anymore, most of them were just as capable of emotions and desires as any other sapient creature. The average individual across the integrated universes did not understand this fact, even though it was considered common knowledge that summoned companions once walked amongst them as true living beings.

Titus Claudius and Ru Luan Di had seen hundreds of different Mortals and Knights treat their summoning abilities with about as much respect or admiration as a child did their newest plaything.

Although Avahni was different, the green-haired lutin was a strangely positive sort of individual, who valued friendships and connections more than actual strength or forbidden knowledge.

The little ginseng king and chevalier fire swarm beetle were both pleased that the human known as Jon was the same sort as their own summoner, albeit with significantly less exuberant personality.

Although Jon could still feel the familiar wisps of worry and concern through the connection born from his Fragment Of Tree, the eighteen-year-old could feel these emotions grow dim, other feelings growing more prevalent in turn.

Happiness.

Joy.

Confidence.

Trust.

Faith.

Jon still had yet to see what sort of transformations had occurred within his Sea Of Knowledge but could feel the connection between himself and Ashvattha Rana so much more clearly after experiencing that flickering moment of enlightenment.

Jon took a deep breath before noticing the familiar sight of an effect description appear in front of him.

[Fragment Of Invidia] [Envious Is The Beast That Lurks Within] (War, Invidia, Spell, Ability, Technique, Buff, Debuff)

Effect (Mortal): Chant, then curse a target with the envious taint of the green-eyed monster. This Spell will inflict an instance of [Branded Envy] and [Invidia Maledictum] upon a target. These effects cannot be cleansed.

[Branded Envy]: Brands a target with a tainted war natured spiritual energy. Individuals affected by [Branded Envy] will have their movements tracked within five kilometres of the caster. Reduces resistances towards war natured damages, afflictions, and debuffs.

[Invidia Maledictum]: Prevents the usage of the most recent ability for a short duration. War natured spiritual energy whispers horrifying jealousies and suspicions towards the mind and spirit, corrupting them with the green taint of envy.

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