There was nothing that Jon could have done to block it. Being caught in the same trap that the fire-breathing duck had used on him previously. Jon unconsciously raised his arms upwards, blocking his face from the majority of the blast, immediately feeling an incredible coldness throughout his arms and upper body.

An uncomfortable sensation of numbness settling in moments after.

Jon noticed a system information page appear in front of him.

[Enfeebling Cold]: Reduces physical agility and dexterity.

Whatever fragment or fragments this bear-like creature had managed to integrate, Jon realized through the sheer amount of spiritual energy released that it somehow managed to overcharge one or more of its abilities.

Sections of the river behind Jon and the short humanoid alien froze instantly. Only the surface of the water was affected, pieces shattering as the flow of the river splinted sections of ice downstream.

The second alien that Jon had ever encountered in the small realm winced as their open wounds froze, using another one of their abilities to cleanse themselves of debuffs or afflictions. A faint golden glow emanated from their hands, bathing themselves in a gentle warmth.

Their gaze lingered on Jon, the tall humanoid standing several meters away, panting heavily as they tried to resist the effects of the ice explosion. Traces of awe could be seen within their eyes as they watched the red-blooded humanoid channel their spiritual energy internally while activating another ability, resisting the debilitating effects of the ice.

Although his newest ability [Green Is The Flesh, As Red Is The Blood] was able to regenerate whatever damage was inflicted as a result of [Enfeebling Cold], it was not able to remove the debuff in question.

Despite the twice fold increase to his physical endurance and stamina, Jon found himself gritting his teeth and retreating backwards several metres under the sudden explosion of ice that burst forth from the bear-creature.

The effects of his [Golden Bulwark] buff only increased his resistances towards physical sources of damage, mitigating their effects through a cushion-like construct of spiritual energy. The explosive wave of ice released was remarkably similar to the superheated ash eruption displayed by one of his previous opponents, causing Jon to mutter a string of swear words, using what little traces of wood natured spiritual energy to regenerate the damage he had received.

'That little fucker… Either he was waiting for the right moment to activate that ability, or he was somehow charging up, waiting until his ability couldn't soak up any more spiritual energy, activating it after overcharging it', Jon was more inclined to believe the latter, gritting his teeth as trails of warm air left his lips.

Jon tried to lick his lips but felt no sensation of warmth coming from his face. The moistness of his lips vanishing, leaving nothing but the taste of blood on his tastebuds.

Despite all of this however, Jon merely continued to channel knowledge natured spiritual energy into the ability born from his Fragment Of War. While Jon could feel the sluggishness of his movements, he knew that the opposite was a guaranteed death sentence.

The white bear-creature showed an expression that Jon likened to a grin, appearing unaffected by the ice or cold created from its abilities. The beast stomped forward, the sound of crackling ice echoing throughout the night.

Jon felt the debuff that clung to his form hinder the swiftness and finesse behind his movements. Walking caused flashes of pain to appear throughout his body. Jogging felt as though someone was stabbing him, while full blown running caused a level of pain that Jon found reminiscent of his close encounter with a certain fire-breathing duck.

Even with the ability granted to him through his Fragment Of Regeneration, Jon felt as though he was incurring damage faster than what [Green Is The Flesh, As Red Is The Blood], could heal.

Patches of debilitating ice cling around his muscles and joints, preventing him from fully extending or bending certain muscle groups without causing significant pain.

Gritting his teeth, Jon narrowed his eyes, before feeling a sense of warmth bloom within his chest. The notification alerting Jon to his [Enfeebling Cold] debuff was swiftly replaced, another line of text appearing in Jon's vision.

[Golden Warmth]: Blesses a target with the soft and gentle warmth of a castle hearth. Temporarily increases natural healing speed. Temporarily increases mana regeneration. Cleanses a single debuff or affliction from a willing target.

A faint golden essence saturated his physical form, causing Jon to glance towards his temporary alien companion, watching as they gave Jon a slight nod, despite the paleness of their expression.

'No fucking way. An actual working support type Mana Core. How lucky am I?' Jon felt the patches of ice across his form melt, being replaced with the same sense of warmth he felt during his childhood one winter holiday.

The enormous hound-faced bear did not let the sudden appearance of a pale golden light around Jon escape its notice either, moving its attention towards its original target. It did wonder how this little two-legged creature escape its clutches earlier, but it seems it had quite the Mana Core integrated into itself.

Deciding to leave Jon alone for a moment, the white bear-creature snarled towards the short pale-faced alien, before charging towards them, roaring with an even greater ferocity than it had previously.

The patches of blood around its chest and underbelly had grown frozen, staunching the wound and preventing further blood loss, still unaffected from the cold its other abilities had generated.

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Jon noticed that the white-bear creature had changed its target towards his short, alien companion. His sense of clarity returning, although without the same intensity or level of concentration behind it.

'The bear is going after the support; makes sense I guess'.

Gritting his teeth, Jon ignored the realization that he had been keeping [Cometh Thy Red Horse Awaits] for almost three hundred seconds now. The moment he dropped his focus, the weakening effect would set in, leaving him vulnerable for over five minutes.

Jon could feel that the amount of spiritual energy within his Wood Mana Core drop below ten percent, while the amount within his Knowledge Mana Core drop to roughly twenty-five percent.

He was not quite running on empty, but it was enough for him to deliver one final gambit.

The image of the white-coloured bear charging at the short, humanoid alien was the only thing in Jon's mind. The bear rapidly approached its target, disregarding the threat that Jon posed for the time being.

Jon did not notice the expression of helplessness on the alien's face, looking towards Jon, whose figure was saturated in a noticeable layer of crimson coloured spiritual energy.

Feeling an immediate strain on his muscles and tendons, Jon pushed an additional ten percent more spiritual energy out of his Knowledge Mana Core. The wisps of silver-grey spiritual energy immediately soaked up by his physical enhancement Spell, flooding Jon's form with an even greater amount of strength.

His feet pressed deeper into the soft ground beneath him, carving indents a few inches deep as his physical body fought against the amount of mana being pushed into it.

Leaning forward, Jon's figure disappeared in a burst of speed, rushing forward with a speed that would have shattered every known record in human history. The cracked spear in his hands was thrust forward, piercing forward with an amount of force that almost caused the bones in Jon's arm to snap.

The bear had no method of detecting Jon or even reacting to him in time.

The eighteen-year-old human appeared directly beside the hound-faced bear, looking directly in its eyes as he pushed his spear forward, the very tip of which, pierced through the eyelid of the creature in question.

There was little to no resistance as Jon thrust his spear deeper, crushing optic nerves and blood vessels, before coming into contact with solid bone. Jon had no reason to believe that his spear could penetrate through the skull of this bear creature but continued pushing forward, placing the entirety of his weight behind his strike.

The blow that Jon inflicted upon the white-coloured bear possessed enough force behind it to knock it clean on its side, immediately roaring out in pain, scrambling to slash the creature which had struck it.

In that single moment when the hound-faced bear had been knocked over into its back, Jon placed his hand softly on the ground, transforming the colour of the dirt and sand beneath his palm into a strange and vibrant green.

"Theirs is the savagery that accompanies creation. Theirs is the might that cradles the earth and sky. Theirs is the wrath, that announces destruction!"

Jon did not hold back, pushing the remainder of his wood natured spiritual energy into the Spell. Dozens of piercing tree branches erupted forth from the ground beneath the bear, piercing through fur, flesh and bone as if the beast was crafted from nothing but leaves and tree bark.

There was a loud squelching sound, something that Jon never thought he could imagine a living creature make and the thick scent of blood filling the air around him. Despite everything, the bear was still alive, even with a three-inch-wide tree branch piercing through its windpipe.

It tried to swipe its massive, clawed paw at Jon, but the human merely rolled to the side, putting several meters between himself and the beast. Jon could see it staring at him with its single good eye, various emotions coursing through it before its head collapsed onto the sand, any and all traces of life vanishing from the beast.

Jon merely kneeled down, his chest heaving.

The young human was using both of his hands to support himself upright, feeling the drawbacks of his Spell wrack his body. His arms and legs possessing about as much strength within them as a wet noodle, faintly trembling from overuse.

Lifting his gaze, Jon noticed the figure of the short, humanoid alien fall back down onto their backside, feeling equally as drained as he was. He didn't know how far they had to run, but seeing this enormous predator which once threatened their life now dead, caused this alien to let out a loud, proudful chuckle before wincing, feeling one of their wounds ache.

The two aliens shared a glance, before Jon smiled, pointing his thumb at himself.

It was not that long ago that he had just done this with Avahni.

"Jon," he spoke in between breaths.

Watching as the purple-blooded alien returned the grin, Jon saw him point to himself before speaking but a single name.

"Wilheim."

Break

Wilheim Freytal-Isenburg was quite curious about the nature and strength of the tall, somewhat normal looking alien kneeling across from himself. With the sheer amount of force that he could produce, more than likely born from some sort of ability, he almost single-handedly slayed this bestial abomination.

He could pierce through flesh and bone with just a shoddily crafted wooden spear. Move across distances at speeds that the average floresiensis couldn't even hope to match, and with the introduction of Mana Cores and Fragments, summon waves of piercing tree branches that could pierce through chainmail and plated armour.

It was an incredible display of martial strength and magical prowess. Whatever species this "Jon" creature was from, must pride themselves on their physical strength and speed.

Wilheim did admit, he somewhat regretted not choosing the Gun Mana Core that he had seen previously.

He had instead chosen the very symbol of his noble house, an imperial and impenetrable castle to become his first Mana Core. While his ancestors would have wept if he didn't, perhaps Wilheim would have been able to defeat the beast all on his own, with the power of a gun or firearm at his fingertips.

'No. A Castle Mana Core is the very symbol of my family heritage. Twenty-seven generations of Freytal-Isenburg's lived and died wearing the emblem of our house upon their chests. I shall not hesitate to match their expectations, and perhaps even exceed them!' Wilheim thought to himself.

He had only arrived in this "small realm" merely a few hours ago. While he had initially been flabbergasted that the earth stretched all the way up the sky, rather than curving downwards like a planet, he urged himself to try and find one of these System Safe Zones before trying to interact with his fellow participants.

He had encountered the white-coloured beast shortly after, immediately retreating the moment his eyes met its own.

If it wasn't for the fact that he had encountered the alien known as Jon, Wilheim knew that his life would have been forfeit. It was not noble to forget a life debt, so if Jon was willing, he would find a suitable companion within himself.

Whatever a "human" was, he made sure to remember the word, knowing that if this "Jon" was what a random was capable of, then perhaps his Race would become a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Wilheim extended a hand towards Jon, offering him assistance in getting up off the ground.

"Jon!" the short, somewhat child-like figure of the floresiensis lifted his head, hearing the unfamiliar, but unmistakeably feminine voice echo out from across the riverbank. Wilheim was somewhat surprised that he had already encountered two sentient alien species within this small realm, but felt his mouth drop, and his mind go blank as he saw the visage of the beautiful creature before him.

Wilheim felt his heart skip a beat, watching as the goddess in human flesh arrived at the side of the human known as Jon, snapping off a limb from the strange root-like creature beside her and swiftly feeding it to the human.

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her head, Avahni gave Wilheim a smile, causing him to fall to his knees in disbelief.

'Mother… Father… I've found the woman that I want to be my wife'.

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