[A/N]: Apologies for the late upload, was busy wrapping stuff. Anyways, no chapter tomorrow, I'll see everyone on the 26th! Merry Christmas!

  Jon had experienced the might of triple-fragment pathways. Although the individual strength of the Voracious Swarm Mother was rather lacklustre even in comparison to his own, she specialized in creation and manipulation of flesh-constructs, controlling them with a level of ease that almost surpassed the inherent limitations of a Lord.

  Jon had yet to claim the seed of knowledge within his Three Seas Of Knowledge. The one granted to him as a System Acknowledged Feat, awarded through his defeat of the Voracious Swarm Mother.

  He did not know the specific effects of her Fragment Of Womb-Progeny Creation or her Fragment Of Flesh-Cocoon. Nor how the Fragment Of Mindless-Hunger could allow her to control so many flesh-constructs all at once.

  But he did understand the differences between ordinary abilities and pathway abilities.

  Jon felt his heart sink down into his stomach, churning and swirling with an abundance of emotions. His toes curled up, clenching as though trying to hold onto something that didn’t exist. Hands clenched tightly into fists, not daring to look away from the television screen even for a single moment.

  ‘Sydney is about 700 kilometres from here in a straight line.’

  ‘The maximum range that [Violet Doors Of Janus Quirinus] can travel between is roughly a hundred kilometres if I push everything into the Spell. Song would not be able to fly me any further than that, given that he too requires weave natured spiritual-.’

  “Oi look! That guy’s alright!”

  Minerva-Infiltration Eyes flickering up towards the flat-screen television, scanning the feed for any traces of Igraine or David. His brows furrowed for a moment, the cameraman focusing most of his attention towards the hydra-turtle creature before zooming in and refocusing on the two familiar-looking figures.

  Three familiar-looking figures to be exact.

  Mouth dropping ever-so-slightly, as he gazed upon the face of the Spiritus Ensis Sanctus. Third-Veined Knight, Mael Sygnus, extended the Sword Of Vanishing Wood-Light forward, wisps of sword natured spiritual energy seeping out from every pore across his body.

  The Fragment Of Reflective Aqua-Desgate had its effects redirected under the power of Mael’s Fragment Of Dividing-Sky. Although primarily an offensive Spell effect used to cleave through defensive shield-effects and manifested constructs, Jon had seen him use it in order to redirect his Fragment Of Annihilation.

  Although it was incapable of destroying the Spell effect itself, Mael had divided the energy in half, allowing it to flow around him, rather than disperse it outright. As a result, two enormous, jagged lines carved through the concrete and asphalt on either side of him, stretching backwards dozens upon dozens of metres.

  Jon felt his shoulders sag, just a fraction of an inch, relieved that he did not just witness the death of his two companions. Although he was not as close to David and Igraine as he was in comparison to Sariel, Wilheim or even Delila, both were still members of his Merchant Guild.

  The focus of the cameraman shifting away from the battle between the gathered Knights and the hydra-turtle Lord, turning towards the youthful-looking reporter shouting into the microphone in between his hands.

  “It has been roughly forty-five minutes since the beast made landfall within Sydney Airport! Attempts to curtail its advance have resulted in a growing trail of destruction several hundred metres in length, ruining more than a dozen different runaways over the course of a thirty-minute period!”

  “Police and other security personnel have tried slowing down the advance of the two-headed creature with little to no avail. Only the presence of these… humanoids have managed to reduce its rate of advancement!”

  The reporter pausing for half-a-second before choosing the word “humanoids” to describe the vermitons, undynes, lutins and floresiensis’ that battled against the hydra-turtle creature. Mortals continued to provide minor buffing effects towards their Knight-Ranked counterparts, while those that had achieved Knighthood continuously launched spell after spell towards the Sixth-Honoured Lord, hoping to injure it.

  Or even just slow it down.

  Jon watched as the reporter continuing describing his account of the events.

  “Several planes have been forced to divert away from Sydney Airport! Two have even been forced to perform crash landings out within the harbour! Rescue crews and local military personnel have been scrambled, helicopters, alongside the HMAS Melbourne currently stationed at Fleet Base East have similarly been dispatched!”

  “We are unsure of the origins of this two-headed creature, and we are similarly in the dark on how these humanoids are capable of fighting against it! The situation is unfolding as we speak, more than a dozen “humanoids” working with local police in order to halt the impending advancement of-.”

  Jon did not bother to listen to anything more, pushing through the crowd of people around him, with a little more strength than what was necessary against uninitiated mortals. He almost knocked over some smaller woman half his size, apologizing as he stepped out onto the streets, ignoring the sound of Summer’s voice calling out to him.

  “Jon! Jon! Where are you going?!” She shouted, trying to catch up to him.

  Minerva-Infiltration Eyes sweeping across the street in a wide arc. Friday night, in the heart of Melbourne would have made the street and surrounding side streets extraordinarily packed with people either wandering while looking for their next pub or bar or rushing to head to their reservations.

  Instead, everyone had frozen.

  Staring up towards the televisions that should have been showing sports highlights or current news events. [Bestial Intuition] allowing him to hear the faint chatter coming from the bar he had just left, whispering low, but loud enough for his senses to perceive it.

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  “Is this… real?”

  “It can’t be right? I mean, look at that thing, it has to be CGI or something!”

  “But it’s on the news?! I mean, everyone is showing it!”

  “Launching fireballs and throwing spears of lightning? Do you know how outrageous you sound right now?!”

  “But look man! That one with the glowing green-sword! His ears are-.”

  “Dude just shut up and get me another drink; it’s your round anyways…”

  Jon furrowing his brows, removing his Extrasensory-Observation Glasses and placing them back inside his Red Archives. Pinching the muscles around the bridge of his nose, Jon sighed, hearing the sound of Summer’s voice calling out towards him.

  “Jon!” Summer breathed, placing a hand on his shoulder, “Where are you going!? Are you feeling alright? Do you need some medicine or some water or-.”

  Jon turned towards his best friend, staring at her straight in the eyes. The sudden, intense bout of eye-contact that he sent towards Summer caused her to raise an eyebrow, pausing mid-sentence, observing the slight frown that marred his face.

  Her eyes glancing towards the patch of white-hair scattered across the front of his face, alongside the wooden-arm that was mostly concealed with his white dress shirt. Her gaze lingered on the arm for several seconds, eyes softening as she tilted her head back to stare up at him.

  “Jon?”

  Her best friend of more than fifteen years sighed, closing his eyes before shaking his head.

  “… I’ll tell you everything when I get back.”

  “I promise. I’ll answer any of the questions that you want me to answer.”

  His back straightened, shoulders pulled back as spiritual energy began flowing from each of his respective Mana Cores. Dozens of kilometres away, Song Lian Yu stirred awake, feeling the connection between himself and his summoner grow stronger, his voice softly whispering into the back of his conscious mind.

  ‘Fly.’ Jon commanded, pushing the epoch-heart dragon up through the water’s surface, bursting out from his stretch of river and towards the skies above. His gargantuan shadow flashing past windows and streetlamps as his fifty-metre-long form ascended towards the dusk-touched clouds.

  Summer tilted her head to the side, not quite understanding his words. Although she wanted to ask him where it was he planned on going, she had known Jon long enough to know that he planned on doing something stupid.

  Instead however-.

  “… You owe me more than an explanation Jon.”

  She winked at him, watching as the corners of his mouth curled up into something closer to a smile. “That” expression, somewhere in between arrogance and confidence was one that she was all too familiar with.

  He did not hesitate to nod, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his Resonance-Protection Keys from within his Fragment Of Library. Extending them towards Summer, he spoke, not waiting for her to ask about their usage.

  “If I’m not back within the span of a week, ask Lydia and Ariel to take you to my house. Those will open the front door, allowing Rana to show you inside. If Rana isn’t there then-.”

  Jon flashed Summer a wry-looking smile, not alluding any further. Instead, moved his attention back towards the television back within the bar, gesturing towards it with a single outstretched finger.

  “What’s that?” Jon said.

  Summer immediately turning her head around in order to look at what Jon was talking about. Her eyes flickering back towards the news reporter still chattering away from the safety of his helicopter, almost not noticing the flash of light burst out from behind her.

  [Violet Doors Of Janus Quirinus].

  The red-headed girl swiftly moved her head back towards Jon, wondering where the flash of light had come from, only to be greeted with-.

  “Huh?”

  “Jon?” Summer blinked, staring blankly towards the space where her best friend once stood. Nothing, not a single trace of his figure nor the lingering remnants of his flickering shadow remained. Nothing but the quiet rustling of leaves in the summer breeze.

  Summer’s eyes flickered towards the television; towards the reporter still commenting on the situation. The screen split between two distinct camera angles, one highlighting the battle between the hydra-turtle creature, and the dozens of civilians forced to evacuate from Sydney Airport.

  Looking down towards the pair of house keys in her hand, Summer could not help but allow her gaze to linger on them for a brief moment, before hearing several sharp gasps echo throughout the crowd around her.

  Her eyes widened as she watched the reporter and cameraman scramble back into their seats, expressions abound with fear and dread. The hydra-turtle creature lifting their alligator-snapping turtle head towards them, slowly opening its mouth and gathering a violent stream of water natured spiritual energy within.

  She could see several of the “humanoids” that the reporter had referred to rush to activate what appeared to be barriers and shields, manifested from some unknown source. Golden-coloured walls bursting forth from the ground beneath them, alongside swirling gales of protective whirlwinds.

  Her breath hitched, recalling memories from her youth.

  ‘It is like something from out of a fairy tale…’

  The pilot of the helicopter barely had any time to react before a scalding stream of boiling water was released from the gaping maw of the hydra-turtle. It shot forward with a speed exceeding that of a bullet in motion, shooting towards the skies as though a violent beam of superheated destruction.

  [Aqua-Interitus Art; Piercing Surge Of Volcanic Water].

  It carved through the air, attacking a nearby helicopter, cleaving the machine in half.

  Flames exploding from out of its ruined remains, killing the inhabitants instantly and causing the wreckage to fall down onto the tarmac below. The hydra-turtle continuing to push more and more spiritual energy into its Fragment Of Piercing-Steam, adjusting the angle of its head so as to strike another nearby helicopter.

  Several uninitiated mortal police officers around the creature instantly recoiled, the ambient temperature around the beast increasing to levels that were incapable of withstanding.

  One man in particular was unfortunate enough to be sprayed with a stray burst of superheated water, flesh and blood reaching their boiling point in an instant, leaving nothing more than a soaking corpse behind.

  Summer felt something uncomfortable settle within her stomach, eyes glancing towards the direction where she had seen Jon run off towards. She almost did not notice the flickering of a pale white light back on the screen behind her, alongside the manifestation of-.

  “Is that an elf!?” Someone in the crowd shouted.

  The Spiritus Ensis Sanctus utilizing his Fragment Of Linear so as to teleport inside the reporters’ helicopter. An unflattering shriek of surprise erupted from the lips of said reporter, cameraman visibly shaking, preventing watchers from getting a good look at the man.

  The trembling in his hands did not end up mattering, as Mael Sygnus looked straight down into the camera lens, holding it upright and staring straight into it. His elongated ears and bright, blonde-coloured hair causing hundreds of thousands of men and women to lean closer towards their televisions.

  This was not just a local broadcast.

  Dozens of news channels, all over the world were streaming the events at Sydney Airport. Humans, undynes, vermitons, nadians, floresiensis’ and lutin’s all watching from their respective corners of the globe.

  Some staring in absolute shock.

  While others gazed in blatant disbelief.

  Summer, Amy, Claire, and Kate were all no exception.

  Male opened his mouth to speak, surprising hundreds as he spoke in perfect, unaccented English.

  “If anyone is watching, please.” His brows furrowed, gesturing towards the growing destruction beneath them. More than two kilometres away, explosions burst out in the distance, the remnants of the Fragment Of Piercing-Steam destroying distant buildings and airplanes.

  “We need your help.”

  “Any of the survivors from Springtown, Mountain Craig Pass or even Lakeriver Valley, please, we need your help. Amadeus, Delila, Maliq, anyone please…”

  His grip over the camera tightened for a second, before Mael turned back towards the Sixth-Honoured Lord. The Sword Of Vanishing Wood-Light in his hands emanated the faint scent of elm trees and pine wood, filling the helicopter with the remnants of a virgin forest.

  Mael clenched his jaw, hoping that at least one of them would be able to hear him.

  “Jon.”

  Summer’s eyes widened even further.

  “Jon… if you can hear me.”

  “We need you.”