Jon looked down upon the arena floor, seeing Amadeus, Mael and Regulus gather at the base of his towering wood barrier, glaring at him from the top of his Fragment Of Barrier. The Princeps Of The Wandering Mutation humming in thought, feeling his numerous Mutation Trait abilities thrum in response to his actions.

He could feel the various mutations in all the participants around him.

Spiritual energy elevating physical, mental and spiritual qualities of all the Knights around him. Whispers from Fragments Of Heart and Fragments Of Marrow were the easiest to comprehend, alongside Fragments Of Spirit and Fragments Of Physique.

Mael possessed a type of mind mutation, manifested from a Fragment Of Eternity integrated into a Mind Mana Core. It announced his presence, even while cloaked beneath a haze of darkness natured spiritual energy.

Amadeus and his Vritra-Rain Scales released dragon natured spiritual energy regardless of whether he wanted to or not. The pride and arrogance contained within said mutation unable to be concealed, screaming at Jon from across the arena.

Regulus, with both his Sirius-Star Shadow and Romulus-Armour Hair half-glancing towards his two temporary companions on either side of him. For a moment, Jon thought that he could hear the faint howls of wolves echo in the back of his mind.

The Son Of Wolves And Hunger possessed the most mutations of the three of them. Standing at five, including the mutations born from his set of universal fragments.

It was a paltry comparison, but one that brought a smile to his face.

His Fragment Of Prana and Fragment Of Marrow stirring within him, causing his three opponents to tighten the grip on their weapons, adjusting their postures and awaiting his approach. Spiritual energy overflowing from his Mana Cores, saturating each of his mutations.

Seir-Perpetual Heart pounding with an unrelenting flow of spiritual energy.

Minerva-Infiltration Eyes crashing against mental defences and Fragments Of Mind.

Murmur-Arhat Marrow reinforcing his flesh, bones and spirit with the cold and indomitable strength and an honoured enlightened one.

Yaochi-Mudra Prana expanding the existing capabilities of his Spells and Techniques. Luin being dismissed as his free limb adopted a three-fingered hand sign, generating an instance of [Enmaten Hahava].

Hades-Draconian Shadow transforming itself into the image of a horrifying six-eyed dragon, inflicting instances of [Umbral Maledictum] and [Draconis Anathema] on all who dared to gaze upon it.

Hastor-Shapeless Horrors emerging out from behind him, the horrifying sound of daemonic-sounding laughter escaping its lips. A twisted version Assail settling within its clawed hands, black veins of corruption stretching down the length of the manifested spear construct.

Longinus-Rune Spirit launching lance-shaped spiritual constructs towards his three opponents.

One moment Jon was standing atop his towering tree barrier, looking down upon his three opponents from several dozen metres up in the air. His grip around the Spear Of Cedarwood Transformations tightened, swinging out with the Knight Ranked spiritual construct as he expended more than a dozen [Requiem Charges] in a single second.

[Spellstar Destruction].

Half-a-dozen crescent-shaped waves of ice natured spiritual energy were launched from the top of his Fragment Of Barrier. The eyes of Mael, Amadeus and Regulus beneath him all widened, seeing the approaching projectiles, each scrambling to activate their defensive abilities.

[Behold Thy Towering Shield, Forged From Bone And War].

[White Colour Art; Diamond Protection Shield].

[Ghost Invocation Art; Wraith-Phantom Barrier].

Explosions of ice shook the ground beneath their feet.

Flavius Imperialis trembling beneath the repetitive waves of ice natured spiritual energy. Frost spreading across the stone floor around the points of impact, stretching across pools of purplish-red blood, freezing it within seconds of contact.

An icy chill filled the arena floor.

Amadeus, Mael and Regulus all appeared unharmed in the eyes of the audience, however-.

"Behind you!". Someone in the crowd exclaimed.

The Tribue Of Dusk And Destruction feeling his eyes widen, as the horrifying image of the Hastor-Fifth Horrors appeared in the corner of his vision. The Fragment Of Sword swinging out towards the approaching monstrosity, but not before locking eyes with the maddening mutation, feeling something crash into his Fragment Of Mind.

A twisted and perverted expression of fear, loneliness and laughter stretching from one side of its face to the other, enveloped his mental construct in an indescribable number of yellow-black veined tentacles.

[Thread-Spirit Corruption]: Reduces resistances towards weave-related damages, afflictions and debuffs. Reduces resistances towards spirit-related damages, afflictions and debuffs. This effect refreshes upon each glance at the Hastor-Shapeless Horrors.

[Shapeless-Spirit Corruption]: Inflicts a continuous weave-natured damage over time effect. Weave natured spiritual energy envelops the mind eroding mental resistances with flashes of fear and feelings of unexplainable dread. This effect refreshes upon each glance at the Hastor-Shapeless Horrors.

[Yellow-Spirit Corruption]: Inflicts a continuous weave-natured damage over time effect. Weave natured spiritual energy. Threads of yellow mana coil around the spirit, corrupting the soul contained within. This effect refreshes upon each glance at the Hastor-Shapeless Horrors.

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Despite possessing both a Fragment Of Incarnation and a Fragment Of Avatar, Amadeus felt his thoughts and emotions contaminated with feelings of fear and dread. As if ink dripping into clean water, a single wisp of weave natured spiritual energy slipped through his mental defences.

Eroding said thoughts and emotions and replacing them with nothing but an overwhelming sense of-.

"Amadeus!"

The sound of Delila's voice snapped him out of his fearful reverie. Her figure discernible even from more than two-hundred metres away, sitting amongst the cheering Mortals and Knights. Her eyes widening, pointing towards the space behind him.

Something eroding his thoughts before he could comprehend them, preventing him from hearing her voice despite overloading his Fragment Of Awareness.

Although after spending more than a year at her side, he was still able to understand her from just the movements of her lips alone. His brows furrowing in confusion, before feeling the soft utterance of a [Falsehood] whispered into his ear.

"Amadeus."

The same voice echoed out from behind him.

His breath hitching as he half-turned his head to the side, only to be greeted with the blunt end of the Spear Of Cedarwood Transformations. Although obscured beneath his Fragment Of Armour, "Delila" grinned, chuckling as Amadeus' figure collapsed, unconscious before he even hit the ground.

Another instance of [Requiem Charges] generated by his Fragment Of Spellfrost Destruction.

Jon stood beside Amadeus' unconscious body for several seconds, before Aerion swooped down from below to retrieve him, swiftly enveloping his flesh with pseudo-physical layer of dark preservation flames.

The sounds of mixed cheers and booing echoed throughout the arena, ignored as Jon moved his attention back towards his remaining opponents.

Regulus Loxley Areum, Titled Son Of Wolves And Hunger fought against Shamael Of Lemnos; Legionnaire Of The Virtuous Pestilence. Although Shamael was still but a Second-Veined Knight, his Fragment Of Transformation allowed him to assume the form of a three-headed spell hydra which possessed enormous offensive and regenerative capabilities.

Regulus, a Third-Veined Knight who also owned a Fragment Of Transformation struggled to fight against Shamael in close quarters, unable to effectively make use of his starless-wolf transformation.

His Ghost Mana Core and Bone Mana Cores expending spiritual energy with each passing moment, trying to suppress Shamael at a distance. Various ghost phantoms and bone constructs launching themselves towards the house-sized three-headed spell hydra.

The Spiritus Ensis Sanctus on the other hand, was still fighting against his Hades-Draconian Shadow, Hastor-Shapeless Horrors and Knight Ranked Archetype Treasure-Avarice. Splotches of colour natured spiritual energy dyeing his shadows and fears with debilitating effects, although were immediately claimed by his Fragment Of Incarnation.

The repugnant image of a corrupted epoch-heart dragon and filthy manifestation of Jon's fears and nightmares fought against Mael, inflicting and refreshing instances of debuffs on him with each passing moment.

The serpentine-figure of his shadow mutation slashing out with its tail and claws, striking Mael's shadow.

Wounds appearing across his arms and legs as a portion of the damage his shadow received was reflected back onto the owner of said shadow. Blood seeping through his Knight Ranked spiritual items, dyeing his clothes red as avoiding glaring at the approaching Fragment Of Horror.

[Thou Is But A Shadow Of Oneself] was able to do more than just extend his perceptions after his ascension to Knighthood. Through the assistance of a certain ginseng king, Jon was able to decide upon a developmental plan for his Hades-Sagacity Shadow.

Transforming his Fragment Of Shadow and Fragment Of Dragon into a fragment pathway.

In doing so, transforming the inherent appearance of his two-dimensional reflection. The shadows which pooled beneath his feet, shifting and churning, combining concepts of "shadows," "knowledge," "dragons," and "reflections" into a singular existence.

Changing its name and Spell effects.

And birthing a-.

[Fragment Of Draconian Shadows] [Thou Is Mine Shadow, Born From Dragons And Knowledge] (Knowledge, Shadow, Dragon, Mutation, Ability, Enhancement, Construct, Self, Debuff)

Effect (Knight): Transform the mortal nature of one's shadow into that of a Hades-Draconian Shadow. The Hades-Draconian Shadow now contains within it the concept of "draconian reflections" and "shadowed knowledge.

The Hades-Draconian Shadow dramatically increases maximum mana and mana regeneration. Dramatically increases resistances towards light-related and fire-related damages, afflictions and debuffs. Slightly increases the effectiveness of all abilities with the Shadow Trait and Dragon Trait.

Chant, then infuse your shadow with the essence of draconian erudition and shadowed strength. Release the Hades-Draconian Shadow from its constraints, allowing it to rampage across two-dimensional space. The Hades-Draconian Shadow can attack other shadows dealing instances of knowledge-natured damage and inflicting instances of [Umbral Maledictum] and [Draconis Anathema].

Knowledge obtained by the Hades-Draconian Shadow shall become your own. Buffs obtained by the Hades-Draconian Shadow shall become your own. Debuffs obtained by the Hades-Draconian Shadow shall become your own. Damage received by the Hades-Draconian Shadow shall become your own.

[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.

The two-dimensional mutation swam across the earth, more serpentine than draconic. Each flourish of its tail inflicted bursts of knowledge natured spiritual energy on its targets, wounding them and inflicting them with instances of [Umbral Maledictum] and [Draconis Anathema].

The inherent qualities of his Hades-Draconian Shadow made it difficult to retaliate against. It possessed neither bone nor flesh, increasing its flexibility and manoeuvrability as it contorted its appearance to avoid arrows of flame or explosive beams of water.

The manipulation of its size and shape allowed Jon to expand and contract it freely, albeit at the cost of additional mana. Unless someone focused all their attention in tracking the movements of his Fragment Of Draconian Shadow, a single blink would be more than enough for them to lose track of its whereabouts.

When combined with both the Hastor-Shapeless Horrors and Archetype Treasured-Avarice, fighting Jon was the equivalent of fighting four separate entities.

Taking a deep breath, Jon allowed himself, for the first time since entering the arena to remove Glaucus from his head, detaching the helm from the pauldrons the Heretical Chalk Protection was attached to. Short, brown-coloured hair clung to his brow and neck, sweat dripping from his nape onto the cracked stone floor beneath him.

Lethe transforming its appearance to match that of his normal facial features.

Reaching into his Fragment Of Library Jon pulled out a Mortal Ranked Bottomless Bottle, pouring the cold, almost icy water contained within it over his head. With his hair drenched in a mixture of sweat and water, Jon glanced towards his task reward page, looking down at how much time had passed since he had arrived within Springtown.

Time remaining: 423 days 16 hours 29 minutes 53 seconds…

[Bestial Intuition] twitching within his chest, prompting him to lift his gaze and turn towards a certain Third-Veined lutin.

The sight of his Hades-Draconian Shadow punching Mael in the chest, sending him flying backwards and hurling into one of the few monoliths still standing within Flavius Imperialis always brought a smile to his face. The sound of something snapping caused Jon to focus his attention in Mael's direction, watching as the half-conscious man groaned before raising a single fist, indicating his forfeiture.

The shadow-mutation lifting its head towards the skies and releasing a soundless roar, triumphant over its opponent.

'It is hard to believe… that I've already spent an entire year within Springtown…'

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