Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)-Chapter 1146. Gathering of the Beholders

“Amalgam! Report! Report!”

Footsteps skittered along an icy stage. With how fast the footsteps moved, it was a miracle that they were able to maintain traction. But if one looked past the frosted appearance of the floor, they would quickly realize that the floor was in fact made of condensed strings.

The figure tightly held a box to their chest. One would correctly assume that this box was heavy by the way the figure was hunched forward, despite the box being no larger than a fist.

Their chains rattled faintly, and the sound echoed across the vast stage. Eventually, the figure reached a set of double doors. Despite the stage being barren, no expense was spared with these ornate doors. The insignia of Act X was carved into the center of both doors and surrounding it like a picture frame were four distinct symbols made of a blue gemstone.

“O-Ohhh… The Weaver, the Allotter, and the Severer… Holding onto the strands that come from the sky… A-AH! No time to ruminate! Do your job properly!”

The voice that came out of their mouth did not match their appearance. Furthermore, if one were to hear this voice without seeing the person, they would not be able to tell if they were a man or a woman.

Their long, pointy ears twitched as they pushed the gigantic doors apart. It parted surprisingly easily, considering its size. After following numerous twists and turns down an extravagantly large corridor, they eventually reached a spherical room that resembled a spider’s nest. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Encasing its walls were white wings that folded into themselves, creating the illusion of a spider. Within the center of this mass of wings were an ensemble of highly prominent individuals of the Nexus.

They surrounded a column of blue smoke, the same kind that persisted in the skies of the City of Strings.

But this person didn’t seem to be able to perceive them. Not yet, at least. This was because of the item enclosed within the box she carried.

“Turn left… Right… And this is the place? It’s a bit inaccurate, because I counted thirteen thousand steps, but came here in just twelve thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine… Unless the step I’ll use to enter is the last? What if I’m carried in? Ohh… I shouldn’t be overthinking this. You’re a Seci–”

The wings suddenly unfurled. The first figure to appear in front of her was the Arbiter. A column of blue smoke rose from behind the Arbiter. In its center was a vortex of particles where a black-coated figure silently stood. Surrounding her, and enveloped within the vortex were bright spots that seems to resemble stars.

“Do not stand and stare, less, you’ve been enraptured by the light of the Whitelight Apparatus?” The Arbiter’s voice frightened the figure. “Be not afraid. The echoes you perceive come from solely I.”

Indeed. The Arbiter was perceptive. She knew straight away that the figure had heard her voice arriving from multiple sources, rather than sound bouncing off the walls.

Before they could respond to the Arbiter, the Beholder of CogitO raised a hand to dismiss the thought.

“The CognitO Filters tend to struggle with aspirants of the Light. My apologies. I do question the necessity of a CognitO Filter. An Aspiring Moon of the Seci Response ought to hone their mind.”

Standing beside the Arbiter was Descartes 3. She wore an unamused look that was impossible to read.

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“Could be one of the Amalgam’s fail safes. Haha. For Moons and our personnel. Quite the leash she has. Such is the gravitas of the Amalgam’s law. Safety first.”

Beholder Knalzark was also present. He stood the furthest away from the group, as his presence alone caused even other Beholders to take passive crushing damage.

“The first failsafes were Serum G. I am not opposed to a failsafes that does not rely on shackling one to the present.” Beholder Galia was the only one who found a place to sit.

Beneath her was a small stool and cupped in her hand was a small plate where a fresh batch of coffee steamed.

“Better the present than the past.” Beholder E. added in his hollow, robotic voice. “The sun will always rise, as they say.”

“Yet, is it not the future that sunsets that hope? In a billion more years, that saying will no longer have a semblance of sense.” Beholder Umbra was draped over a large, black sphere which was wrapped in glowing chains.

She hung upside down and was far enough where one had to wonder how she had not yet slipped off the sphere.

“Hehe… if we make it to a billion years, that is.” Carpalis giggled. “Hehe. If the rings of a tree define their age… oh dear, we’d be so wrinkly.”

“Hardly a concern for a Demon.” Satania shrugged. “Speaking of Demons, you hear the storm brewing over at Zelmori? Demon continent got hit by a wave. Consider giving your homeland a visit.”

“Hehe... If I ever consider needing to end my life, then, I’ll gladly take the chance to head back home where my bloodline is prosecuted.”

“… As a Demon? In a continent filled with Demons?” Enoch raised her voice.

Of the Beholders present, she was the odd one out considering she wasn’t a Beholder herself. But given that she had personally been appointed as a Blessed by Frost and had created her divine garbs: she was treated as the acting representative of ImpulseWorks.

“What do you think Demons are by the way, Honored Enoch?” Satania sighed.

“Beings dating back to the Old World. It’s no secret that my existence transcends time. I’m veeerrrryyy aware of their origins, since I worked in that lonely Site.”

“Hardly. Spill the blood of a Sin and a Demon and what pools between their legs will be in the same shade of red. Not so different from an Angel and a Virtue, but that’s that, and this is this.”

Satania shrugged again and kicked her feet into the air. She hovered in place, as though sitting on an invisible beach chair. Swirling in a hand was a glass of wine she procured from her [Dimensional Storage].

“I do believe my Fixed Anchors are supposed to be used: by code: solely for fixtures, not because a Demon can’t be bothered to stand on its feet.” Knalzark tightened his fists.

Tension instantly pervaded the air, and the poor Aspiring Moon found themselves forgotten amongst the bickering of these giants. Their knees clanged together as Knalzark went back and forth with Satania about how she should use her legs as intended, since she was born with them.

Meanwhile, Carpalis patted her missing arm, uttering a humiliating whisper: “Hehe… Now if only I could set my hand aside without worry.”

During this, Beholder Umbra addressed Enoch with a predatory gaze.

“Honored Enoch. Demons of today are born through procreation. But have you ever stopped to wonder why they feed on the essence of humanity? An Honored One, by the virtue of Uriel’s blood, is only considered Human because you were originally human. Demons bear a shackle of shame that Demons of today see as no more than a calling. Instinct. A primordial need born from Demons of the old who were born through the rotten seed of humankind.”

“Are they a byproduct of humans?”

“Not humans, but of Humanity.” Umbra emphasized this by lapping her lips and slowly uttered each syllable to Enoch. “Sins, Corrupted, Impuritas. Stars, perhaps? Born from the cosmic dust of propagated ideas, whether realized or deceased. Primordial Demons like Satania are what one would call a Demon born from a Sin. There was a term coined long ago for certain types of Demons born this way.”

Satania finally finished arguing with Knalzark. The bearded man crossed his arms and turned to face Frost with a triumphant look. He had won the argument. That was what his stance was saying, even if reality did agree with him.

Then, she beckoned Enoch with a finger. Once Enoch was close enough, she landed in front of her with the grace of an Angel yet stared into Enoch’s eyes with a devilish gleam.

“An Original Sin. Like the Primordial Demons, though, it’s impossible to compare these types of Demons with ourselves. We’re Primordial for a reason~ Princesses and Princes. We don’t compare ourselves with those kinds of Demons. Often than not, the path the Repenters take leads us to an Original Sin. Uncommon, but they’re quite…”

Satania greedily downed her glass of wine down to the last drop.

“… Delectable.”