Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)-Chapter 1147. The Report

The figure knew they were not supposed to hear this.

But as an Aspiring Moon, they rationalized that this was to test their ability to hide confidential information. To become a Moon is to become a person who could be entrusted with classified information… even if it didn’t make much sense.

They were an Elf, after all, so they were not very familiar with the Demon continent, not the central continent either.

“That poor girl. How it breaks my heart that the Beholders of the oh so benevolent Nexus has turned their back on this one!” Magus clasped his heart in agony, as if he was in her place. “It is already bad enough that I am in the territory of that imitation! Bah! The stench!”

“Ease up Magus.” Anna patted his back as he slumped forward. “You don’t even have a nose.” She added in a faint whisper.

“Madam Archivist. Should we address her?” Scheherazade, the first Author working for the Nexus, asked carefully.

She did not know how to act in front of who were her mortal enemies not long ago. Her misguided hatred caused her to move awkwardly in this space and become rigid whenever she was being stared at.

Magus, Anna and Scheherazade were in a space that was dedicated to a miniature workshop. Among the plethora of tools and workstations were several bookshelves containing empty books. One book on a pedestal. It contained snippets of the Celeste Star Fate’s tale.

Each vibration, and each whisper of a breeze that passed by Scheherazade was a phrase. Suddenly, she picked up a fountain pen and began scribing what she heard.

“To… experience… what… cannot… be… experienced… I don’t quite understand what the Celeste Star’s purpose is, if it imparts Commandments upon its followers.”

“Neither. But they have been a form of direction for us.” Marionette passively smiled. “Is that correct?”

“Yes?” Anna tilted her head, wondering why Beholder Marionette was talking to the air. Then, she pounded a fist into her palm in realization. “Right. The Director.”

“Experience, or the lack thereof, is a universal trait of the Stars. Unsurprising. It must remain that way.” Michaela scoffed. “Can Counterfeits be made through that book?”

“Yes.” The Author answered with restraint, not wanting to gush in an unsightly manner in front of the Arbiter. “As long as the Gift exists in proximity then it is possible. However, I’m using its lingering presence. Little, if anything, can be procured through this book.”

“But it is possible, nonetheless.”

Scheherazade gave her a curt nod. “At the moment, the most we can do is unravel the strands it left behind. It’s frayed. But I assure you, give me enough time and I can piece a story together.”

“In the meantime, we shall wait for Frost to return from the Whitelight Apparatus.”

The Aspiring Moon struggled to swallow. They had been under the scrutiny of the Arbiter since they arrived. Their legs, which were partially covered by a skirt, lightly trembled. Despite wearing a skirt, one could not immediately tell if they were a girl or a boy. It also did not help that their hair was hardly feminine, which contrasted with their long eyelashes.

Then again, Elven males were prone to being mistaken for women given their beauty.

Perhaps this was why the Arbiter was scrutinizing them. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

However, the Arbiter could not care less if it was a human or a sentient piece of moss standing before them. At least the latter would be more transparent than a human.

She weighed a person by their virtues and sins. Otherwise, she would be a very shallow Archetype, and she did not wish to make the same mistakes the old Arbiter had made in the past.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Her golden eyes intensified. The small flash of light was meant to give the Aspiring Moon the green light to speak, but it had the opposite effect. It seized them and before they knew it, they forgot how to breathe.

“Gam!”

An innocent, childish voice severed the tension in an instant. A black-haired girl exited the smoke. She wore an oversized black coat. The lower half was made from feathers, with the upper from high quality Cloth. Beneath was white buttoned shirt, a black skirt, and white tights that contrasted her dark skin.

Because the coat was so large, her sleeves dangled from her hands. The girl took tiny hops on a pair of leather boots and stumbled since she was not used to wearing footwear yet.

Carpalis lifted her hand and allowed it to flop side to side, like a pendulum.

“Hehe… The Child of the Amalgam and the Beholder of Time Reverberation. She takes after you personality-wise.”

“Hmmhmmm!” Jury followed the girl out of the smoke wearing a triumphant expression. “Like mother, like daughter. She learns fast! You’re all very early. Frost is just about finishing up with the final touches on the Gravity Core module.”

Suddenly, Jury noticed the Aspiring Moon, and she rushed to clasp her hands as her tail wagged enthusiastically.

“Veltya! You came! Is that the box with the CognitO Filter!?”

“B-Black Box. A Blue Moon a-asked me to deliver it. Black Wings couldn’t come out here on their own. P-Preparing for the coronation ceremony. Stars are busy as w-well.”

“Ho. For young Stella?” Carpalis smiled.

“I-It’s what I heard. B-But, Beholder Jury! I-I have a report for the Amalgam! Only for her ears!”

“It’s fine.”

A voice called from the smoke. Following it was the sound of a thunderclap. A dark orb with crimson veins was the first thing to emerge from the smoke, then, Frost appeared. The Beholders prostrated before her as they rolled out an imaginary red carpet.

Her presence exuded divinity, and the Beholders could not help but perceive Frost as much larger than her physical body suggested. This was because of the Adorned Tale, which greatly amplified her status as the Amalgam. Furthermore, the weight of her presence was not imaginary.

The dark sphere she held bled, as though she was squeezing blood from stone. The blood disintegrated into ash before it could stain the floor.

Part of this presence was due to the Quants of Gravity she was manipulating thanks to the Gravity Core module. Although, this variation was called the Gravity Sanguinis, given that it was infused with her Specific Nex.

Then, she pocketed it within her coat. She seemed satisfied. Whatever had occurred behind the curtain of smoke had left her in a good mood.

“We’re in the company of friends. Veltya, Aspiring Moon of the Seci Response. May I have that?”

“Yes! And- my report too!”

The box gracefully fell into Frost’s hands. The mere exchange of hands caused the wood to dissolve, revealing a black prism. With her administrator privileges over the Nexus, Frost bypassed the personnel level requirements of the Black Box and listened to the message.

* * *

By the time the recording finished, and when Veltya, the Elven Aspiring Star, concluded the report, Frost was left with a headache. On one hand, her Black Wings were effective in uprooting non-Corrupted threats of the Nexus.

On the other hand, she was not fond of how they conducted their operations.

“I expected nothing less from my Black Wings. But…”

Frost reflected upon her leniency over the Black Wings. If she kept pardoning them, then it was only a matter of time before they lost control of their bloodlust. Innocent people were already being caught in the crossfire. Thankfully, no one innocent was killed, but that was only because the people they did kill weren’t considered innocent in the first place.

“… I’ll have to make a few adjustments to keep them in line. For now, let them know to prepare for the implants. I have a number of modules I need to create, alongside new products.”

“Products! F-For… M-Moons too?” Veltya nearly hopped with enthusiasm.

“Yes. For my Moons and Stars.” Frost lightly patted their head.

“G-glory be upon you, Amalgam! I-I’ll get back to my post! Ohhh! The Seci Response Moons! Today is supposed to be a terrible trip into the ruins of Paradise! But with your blessing I believe it’ll be all worth it in the end!”

“As long as it’s what your heart desires.”

Veltya departed after bowing to the others.

I sincerely hope my Moons don’t end up worshiping me. I’d hate for the Nexus to become a cult centered around me.

“Can you blame them?”

Hardly, but they’ll learn to listen to themselves in time. It’s part of the curriculum. In any case…

Frost retrieved the orb from her garbs and held it into the light. Without uttering another word, she carved the back of the same hand with a black, slime-like apparition that protruded from her shoulder.

Joy squeezed her eyes shut, expecting blood to pour from Frost’s hand. However, she did not hear any drips. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, and she was greeted by a soft, harmonic hum from the orb Frost held.

The blood refused to spill. It orbited the orb the moment it left her wound, arcing around the core like a comet around a star. Eventually, the blood returned into Frost’s veins, keeping her blood inside of her.