Jon had experienced a tremendous number of different things over the course of a single year. His worldview had expanded, the prejudices and feeling of narrow-mindedness that he brought into the System Introduction had long since vanished, allowing him to flourish into a more rational and forward-thinking adult.

He had learnt thirteen different languages over the course of the System Introduction.

Nain. Pluntian. Vaayli. Spanish. Mandarin. Solsti. French. Pham. Vorosh. Cinclid. Raa'vash. Korean. And Russian.

It was considered above average amongst the denizens of Springtown, although paled in comparison to Delila's nineteen and even Wilheim's eighteen different languages learned. He had long since obtained all the task rewards for the ninth mandatory task, discovering the names for all the Ranks above Barony.

[9]: Learn and understand a minimum of one additional language from another System Introduced individual. Individuals shall receive rewards with each additional language learned over the duration of this System Introduction.

Mortal Rank rewards: Choice of one fragment.

Knight Rank rewards: Choice of one Mortal Ranked spiritual item. [Claimed].

Lord Rank rewards: Mortal Title Fragment "Learned." [Claimed].

Baron Rank rewards: Choice of one Mana Core. [Claimed].

Viscount Rank rewards: Choice of three fragments.

Marquis Rank rewards: Choice of three Mana Cores. [Claimed].

Earl Rank rewards: Knight Title Fragment "Linguist." [Claimed].

Duke Rank rewards: Choice of one Knight Ranked spiritual item. [Claimed].

Sovereign Rank rewards: Knight Title Fragment "Polyglot." [Claimed].

Throne Ranked rewards: Choice of ten fragments.

[Additional excess rewards]: Choice of one fragment. [2]

Although Learned was a Mortal Ranked Title Fragment, both Linguist and Polyglot pushed Jon closer and closer towards obtaining a complete Knight Ranked Title. The effect of Linguist was subpar in comparison to Polyglot but was interesting enough for Jon to consider using them when improving Lethe in the future.

Mortal Title Fragment "Learned": Increases the speed at which concepts are comprehended.

Knight Title Fragment "Linguist": Increases the speed at which language and syntax is understood.

Knight Title Fragment "Polyglot": Concepts and notions related to words and language become infinitesimally easier to understand and comprehend.

Achieving anything more than the "Throne Rank" resulted in repeating the Mortal Rank reward again and again. Although it had doused some of the joy of out learning additional languages, the fact that he was now able to speak multiple languages, thrilled Jon immensely, especially knowing that he would be able to use almost half of them when he returned back to Earth.

[Mine Is The Three Seas Of Knowledge] helped immensely in that regard, allowing him to sort out his memories and order them in such a manner so that they were easier to draw upon.

[Thou Is Mine Shadow, Born From Dragons And Knowledge] assisted to a degree, allowing Jon to observe multiple dictionaries while practicing the verbal components with various teachers and acquaintances.

[Eyes Through The Looking Glass] able to peer into other Fragments Of Mind, observing specific memories and copying them into his Sea Of Knowledge. Accents and unconscious emphasises on specific sounds were removed in a matter of hours rather than weeks, allowing him to progress even quicker through each language.

However, in addition to the completion of the ninth mandatory task, Jon had found himself completing the entirety of the tenth mandatory task.

Given that Jon had explored three Dungeons before arriving within Springtown and then the three Dungeons that Delila, Amadeus and Maliq and discovered, he was more than halfway there to obtaining the Throne Rank rewards for said task. By the time that the Piercing-Void Ship had discovered Lakeriver Valley and Mountain Craig Pass, he had long since exceeded the number of Dungeons required to obtain all the rewards associated with the task.

[10]: Enter minimum of one random System generated Dungeon and defeat the Guardian that lies within. Individuals will receive a unique reward with each addition Dungeon completed over the duration of the System Introduction.

Mortal Rank rewards: Choice of one fragment.

Knight Rank rewards: Choice of one Mortal Ranked spiritual item. [Claimed].

Lord Rank rewards: Choice of one Mana Core. [Claimed].

Baron Rank rewards: Mortal Title Fragment "Explorer." [Claimed].

Viscount Rank rewards: Choice of three fragments.

Marquis Rank rewards: Mortal Ranked Title Fragment "Guide." [Claimed].

Earl Rank rewards: Choice of three Mana Cores. [Claimed].

Duke Rank rewards: Choice of one Knight Ranked spiritual item. [Claimed].

Sovereign Rank rewards: Knight Title Fragment "Dungeoneer" [Claimed].

Throne Ranked rewards: Choice of ten fragments.

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[Additional excess rewards]: Choice of one fragment. [7]

Mortal Title Fragment "Explorer": Gain a vague sense of what direction one is heading in.

Mortal Title Fragment "Guide": Increases the effectiveness of abilities with the Sense Trait.

Knight Title Fragment "Dungeoneer": Gain a vague sense of direction towards the nearest Dungeon Guardian.

Jon had found himself obtaining additional excess rewards seven times over the past year. He was sure that within Springtown, he had achieved the highest number of individual Dungeon clears, perhaps save either Amadeus or Regulus. He now possessed the minimum number of Knight Ranked Title Fragments needed in order to create a complete Knight Ranked Title, although insisted on waiting until obtaining more conceptually heavy and powerful Title Fragments.

Explorer was relatively useless in the scheme of things, but he would have considered integrating Guide into Polemarch Of Jade Warfare.

Dungeoneer on the other hand was something that he intended on imbuing into Lethe somewhere down the line. The development of Memento Source Items were different in comparison to regular abilities but made up for it with extraordinarily powerful effects.

With all the task rewards that he had obtained, Jon had amassed a literal fortunes worth of Fragments, Mana Cores and spiritual items. Mana Cores piled up in the hundreds within the [Red Archives Of Mars Quirinus] while fragments stacked up in the thousands, unable to discern the exact number in his possession.

Spiritual items were purchased at a whim whenever he found one interesting or particularly useful. Mortal Ranked Chainmail Shields were placed beside Mortal Ranked Steam Pistols. While Knight Ranked Harmony-Song Chairs were neatly positioned above Knight Ranked Meditative-Chakra Mats.

Jon was able to create spiritual items on his own, although did not specialize in it.

The same way that Maliq, Wilheim or Avahni had grown to specialize in such a field. All three of them had created at least a single Knight Ranked spiritual item on their own before while he found himself struggling to create even a simple Depthless Bottle at times.

His grasp over ward-weaving rather than item-weaving was far greater in comparison. [Spiritual Weave Art; False Faerie Ward] was much more developed than [Threads Through The Loom]. After becoming a Knight, Jon did integrate a Fragment Of Perfection into his Fragment Of Creation hoping to improve both his accuracy and level of control.

It helped, albeit to a minor degree.

[Fragment Of Creation] [Threads Through The Loom] (Weave, Creation, Spell, Technique, Ability, Enhancement) (World)

Effect (Knight): Spiritual items created through the effect of [Threads Through The Loom] can now possess the World Trait without having to use a Fragment Of World.

Improves the control over concepts relating to "World," and "Realm."

Temporarily grant one ability the World Trait for a short duration.

Other than the incredible number of fragments, spiritual items, and Mana Cores he had accumulated, Jon had even obtained three other Wonder Fragments over the past year, allowing them to sit beside his Wonder Fragment Of "Red Lagoon."

Wonder Fragment Of "Ice Pillar" discovered!

Wonder Fragment Of "Sunless Mountain" discovered!

Wonder Fragment Of "Coral Forest" discovered!

Of all the Wonders that Jon had visited within this small realm, three had given him Wonder Fragments willingly and one through the assistance of some unfathomable existence that neither Eis nor Rana were willing to comment on. As such, each of them resided within the [Red Archives Of Mars Quirinus], until the day he would return to Earth and look to create a Wonder of his own.

It was no understatement to say that Jon was one of, if not the richest man within Springtown. Although he suspected that either Wilheim or Maliq might possess a fortune capable of rivalling his own, both were Knights capable of creating their own Mortal Ranked Dungeon Fragments.

The Vanishing Doors Of Piet and the Fiery Plains Of Sig had both been placed down within a kilometre of Springtown. Neither the Flarestorm Express, Solitude Express or the Windchasing Train were needed to travel to said Dungeons, possessing an ease of access which outclassed any of the surrounding Dungeons.

This was not including the sheer number of people that delved into Dis each day. The Dimensional Dungeon Shadow being placed within the Safe Zone itself, causing hundreds of denizens to swarm to it each morning, hoping to put their names down for a Dungeon run later that day.

It was a source of envy within Jon, although would not dare to trade Lethe for Dis, Porta or any other building-type Memento Source Fragments. Jon had planned to transform one of his abilities into a type of building-type summoned construct in the future although would have to wait until attained Lordship or a Barony until then.

He had experienced tremendous growth and development over the course of just a single year. Delved Dungeons. Explored Wonders. Discovered Safe Zones. Fought Knights. Becoming a figure of renown throughout their section of the small realm.

Despite all of this.

All of the achievements that he had accomplished over the span of just a single year, his mind could not help but think back to the last thing that Avahni said to him. Her hand brushing against the surface of the Mask Of Jade Lies.

"I thought I told you… I don't like it when you tell lies Jon."

His breath hitching, before snapping back to reality, feeling something brush up against his shoulder.

The Knight Ranked Spirit-Protection Shirt he was wearing manifesting a barrier woven from war natured spiritual energy around him before said hand count come into contact with his shoulder.

"Jon? Is something the matter?"

The sound of Sariel's voice snapping him out of his little trance. His back straightening in the Knight Ranked Soothing-Pressure Chair beneath him, eyes darting towards the figure of Wilheim, Sariel, Shamael and several other high ranking members of the Merchant Guild around him.

Each of them staring at with varying degrees of worry and concern on each of their faces.

Ignoring the growing sense of embarrassment within him, Jon cleared his throat, gesturing for Sariel to continue. Despoina perched on a precious Knight Ranked spiritual material behind her, peering at Jon with her golden-coloured eyes.

The Adeptus Sanctus Medicus paused for several seconds before continuing with her announcement.

"According to the most recent survey done by the Explorers Guild, vast sections of land to the west of us have been cleared all of biological matter and materials. Members of the Merchant Guild have also reported a lack in the number of available materials, both Mortal and Knight Ranked in areas once abundant with said resources."

"This coincides with an attack that Saltstream Town experienced just five nights ago by a swarm of insects whose total number and fighting strength is still unknown. Estimates place the number of dead citizens at eighty-three and the injured at five times that number. The Saltstream Town Merchant Guild Branch evaluate the damage done to the town at somewhere between twelve-thousand to fifteen-thousand platinum coins."

Wilheim, and several other members could not help but whistle, hearing the cost of all the damages done during the attack. According to the system of value that the Merchant Guild had assigned specific fragments and concepts, a Fragment Of Mind was worth about a hundred platinum coins.

A Fragment Of Fire or a Fragment Of Water on the other hand was valued at about ten to fifteen depending on who was selling said fragment.

A Fragment Of Ink or a Fragment Of Book on the other hand were both worth about three-to-four platinum coins.

Hearing that the damage Saltstream Town had been inflicted with, Jon could not help but frown, equating it to more than a hundred Fragments Of Mind. Although he possessed an even greater wealth on his person, he sensed that Sariel had more to say, given that she was flipping over her report, frowning as she read over the next page.

"In addition, for whatever reason, after examining the corpses of the invading insects, it was discovered that not a single one of them possessed a fragment within their bodies. In fact, they discovered that not a single one of them possessed any Mana Cores or traces of spiritual energy within their flesh."

"… Each one of them, numbered about three-thousand at a rough estimate, possessed the physical capabilities of a Knight."

"Although without the abilities of one."

Sariel took a deep breath before reading the final line on the page.

"Sampson Henderson, the Merchant Guild Branch Head suspects that the invading insects were the creation of…"

"A System-generated Lord."

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