Jon fell to his knees, feeling the entirety of his Knowledge Mana Core drained of its spiritual energy. He had yet to fully recover from the battle between himself and Han Of The Red Wind, and even with three passive increases to his mana regeneration rate, Jon still felt slightly winded from the fight.

He had seen during Avahni's attempt at summoning Xochitl that the lutin had similarly drained her Wood Mana Core of almost the entirety of its spiritual energy reserves. The lutin did not have that many passive abilities that could potentially increase mana regeneration, so it took Avahni several hours to fully regenerate her wood natured spiritual energy.

Jon was somewhat unsure on the nature of her [Hold Thy Hand Child, Green Is The Colour Of Our Lineage], but he suspected that it was quite the powerful ability if the sheer number of Traits that it possessed reflected its power and versatility.

While Jon did not have a method to convert one type of spiritual energy into another, he could merely rely on the combined effects of [Green Is The Flesh, As Red Is The Blood] in conjunction with his Hades-Sagacity Shadow and Seir-Glacial Heart.

Taking in a deep breath, Jon swiftly found himself bathed within a silverish-golden glow, the young human lifting his head and gazing towards the enormous bodhi tree in front of him.

Before he could say anything, two notifications appeared within his field of view.

[Naraka Of Protection]: Increases mana regeneration.

[Niraya Of Protection]: Increases the amount of healing received from abilities.

With an additional buff to boost his mana regeneration, Jon found his once depleted Knowledge Mana Core gain the tiniest amount of spiritual energy. The rotation of the Mana Core almost non-existent, but Jon could feel it turning, churning out the faintest traces of mana.

"Thank you," Jon muttered, causing the leaves of the bodhi tree to rustle, even without the presence of wind or rain. Faint patches of light littered the riverbank around Jon, creeping through the gaps in the canopy.

"Do not feel the need to thank me, Jonathan Randall Guilliman. I am yours, summoned at your behest to serve, in exchange for granting me a second chance at life," Jon's eye twitched, hearing Ashvattha Rana's voice within his head. The sensation of someone speaking directly into his mind was not the easiest feeling to adapt to.

Standing up back on two feet, Jon let out a loud sigh, before glancing up to this enormous lifeform in front of him.

Jon had never seen a bodhi tree on Earth, so was somewhat surprised at how large his summon was after manifesting itself within his physical reality. Over twelve metres in height, and a canopy that more than doubled that in width, Ashvattha Rana was a huge lifeform, with roots stretching down more than six metres into the earth.

With direct sunlight hitting the treetop, their leaves gained a somewhat golden tint to them. Shades of beautiful greenish gold littering the space above Jon's head, filling him with a gentle sense of peace and calmness.

Nodding his head, Jon turned to face Ashvattha Rana.

"I'll be honest, you are the first and only summoning ability within my possession. A friend of mine has her own summon, but I still was not quite sure how this would go," Jon said in English, relishing in the fact that Ashvattha Rana could understand him.

The bodhi tree rustled its leaves as if a cat arching its back. At least, that was the impression that Jon got from the action.

"I know. While I cannot view your status page, I am somewhat able to feel the different fragments you have managed to integrate. Three Mana Cores. Knowledge. Wood. And Ice as well. While the latter two are relatively common, Knowledge is quite the valuable Mana Core. I wonder how much your family has spent trying to obtain such precious Mana Core," Ashvattha Rana replied.

Jon tilted his head to the side, not quite understanding their words.

"Um, my family did not spend anything to obtain a Knowledge Mana Core. The System gave it to me," Jon said, scratching the top of his head.

An awkward silence filled the air, and the sound of rustling leaves halted as Jon felt his summon focus the entirety of their attention on himself.

"The… System gave it to you? What manner of Title must have you obtained for the System to reward you with such a thing?" Ashvattha Rana asked, a trace of curiosity evident within its voice.

"No Title. It was given to me as my choice of Mana Core during the System Introduction. I think everyone within the System Introduction is allowed a choice for their first Mana Core. Although, I do wonder why the others did not choose something-." Jon found himself being cut off, by the voice of Ashvattha Rana in his head.

"Wait a second! Did you say System Introduction! As in the one currently going on in the 37th universe!" Ashvattha Rana questioned, her tone shifting to something more insistent.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Yeah. The System Introduction is still going on. It hasn't even been a few weeks since it has started," Jon replied.

The bodhi tree remained silent for a few moments, although Jon could feel the faintest hints of excitement from the tree in front of him. The shifting of roots beneath the sands, the faint tremors rippling through its branches, even the incredible amounts of spiritual energy flowing throughout its physical form.

Perhaps it was because of his Sea Of Knowledge but Jon could feel the emotions of his summon bleeding into himself, through whatever spiritual or metaphysical connection linked the pair.

The young human stood before the Earthen Treasury Womb feeling Ashvattha Rana calm themselves down, easing the excitement and enthusiasm bubbling up within them.

"I apologise for the outburst Jonathan Randal Guilliman. I admit, I did not even consider the possibility that I might be summoned by someone from within the System Introduction. This is… a boon that I never could have even dreamed of possessing," Ashvattha Rana admitted, causing Jon to nod his head in understanding.

"Because of all the Mana Cores and Fragments available within the System Introduction," he stated.

Jon watched as the bodhi tree shook itself from left to right, leaves and branches rippling with a strength that Jon had not realized his summon possessed.

"It is not just the overabundance of Mana Cores and Fragments that litter the System Introduction. It is the opportunity given to those allowed within the System Introduction, in the form of various task rewards, clearing System generated Dungeons, claiming System generated Wonders and obtaining a plethora of rare and unique Title Fragments."

"Those who participate within the System Introduction are given chances and prospects that ordinary individuals cannot even hope to comprehend. And, above all else, those who are chosen to participate within the System Introduction are given their choice of first Mana Core."

Jon raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding what Ashvattha Rana was trying to say.

"Ordinary people cannot choose their first Mana Core? What do you mean?", he asked.

Taking a deep breath, Ashvattha Rana continued.

"Those individuals who participate within the System Introduction often have no experience or exposure to spiritual energy outside of a few exceptional Races. The System then floods these individuals with a wellspring of neutral Mana, transforming their biology to become more compatible with spiritual energy."

"Considering that this neutral Mana possesses no inherent qualities, it is impossible for an individual to form their own Mana Core. It is why the System gifts these individuals with their choice of a first Mana Core."

"Individuals who awaken their Mana Cores outside of the System Introduction, that is to say, a regular person, would awaken a Mana Core based on their exposure to various types of spiritual energy. I assumed that with your Knowledge Mana Core, your family had paid an enormous sum to expose you to knowledge natured spiritual energy."

"Those from uninfluential or poor families or organizations would often awaken a Mana Core of their Race, such as a Tree Mana Core for myself, or a Human Mana Core for someone of the Human Race," Ashvattha Rana explained, causing Jon to unconsciously nod his head.

"Is that necessarily a bad thing though? Tree Mana Cores would be quite useful regardless of what fragments one integrated into it," Jon asked, causing Ashvattha Rana to shake their leaves in response.

"That is true. Depending on what fragments someone can integrate into their Mana Core, the effects could be extraordinarily powerful. However, the nature of fragments is chaotic."

"Answer me this Jonathan Randall Guilliman, if you possessed a Human Mana Core, and then integrated a Fragment Of Legs like the one sitting in your pocket, what do you think would happen?" Ashvattha Rana questioned, traces of prudence evident within her tone.

Jon scrunched up his face for a moment, thinking about the question that the bodhi tree presented.

Thinking back to the first creature than Jon had encountered within the small realm, the horrifyingly ugly goat with a mouth that looked as though an eldritch abomination had bred with mind flayer; Jon felt a strange uncomfortable tingle through the entirety of his form. An inherent rejection of such a mutation, born from the Fragment Of Mouth the beast had integrated.

Although it had integrated a Fragment Of Mouth, Jon had almost forgotten that the beast did not drop a Mana Core after he killed it. Jon had been preoccupied with the sheer number of fragments in his possession, that he almost forgot such a key and crucial detail.

Jon felt his breath hitch, lifting his head to gaze up at the bodhi tree.

"Mutations. The nature of fragments is chaotic. So, integrating a fragment into a Mana Core which so closely reflects your physical nature is bound to create uncontrollable physical mutations," Jon answered, causing the branches and leaves of Ashvattha Rana to shake up and down in affirmation.

"Possessing the chance to choose your first Mana Core removes this this possibility in its entirety. Across the thirty-six known universes, there isn't a single individual who wishes they were born during a System Integration. Regardless of how much wealth you use to reduce the possibility, it still exists, even if it is just one percent," The bodhi tree went silent for a moment after this, letting the chaotic nature of fragments and Mana Cores settle within Jon's mind.

It was somewhat strange for Jon to think about.

He had thought that the inherent rejection of certain fragments or Mana Cores was born from his [Monstrous Intuition] urging him towards compatible fragments, while pushing him away from strange, mutative fragments such as the Fragment Of Mouth, or Fragment Of Legs.

After integrating his second Mana Core, and subsequently his third Mana Core, Jon discovered the existence of his "Source", feeling as though this unknown quality also had something to do with his inherent disgust of certain fragments.

Yet… Ashvattha Rana had not once mentioned the word "Source", causing him to furrow his brows in confusion.

'There is something they are not telling me,' Jon thought to himself, his thoughts and feelings shrouded beneath the waves of his Sea Of Knowledge.

"Ashvattha Rana, you exist to serve at my behest, is that correct?" Jon asked the bodhi tree.

"Yes, Jonathan Randall- " Jon interrupted the summon, shaking his head from side-to-side.

"Just call me Jon, or Jonathan. My full name is too long," he admitted.

"Then please, also call me Rana, Jon. And yes, as I have accepted the System request to have my essence transformed into a fragment, I am now bound towards you Jon. Nothing can sever this connection but death", Rana said.

Nodding his head slightly, Jon felt no hint of lies of falsehood within Rana's words. Taking a deep breath, Jon then asked the question that was on his mind.

"Rana, tell me what a "Source" is."

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