Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)-Chapter 953. Arrival At The Fifth Level

The true tragedy was that it was possible that Frost could have been the answer to the plight of the Impuritas. But their nature, philosophies and extreme prejudice against her meant that could never happen, aside from those who were cleansed by the Arbiter and became Puritas.

< I’m still holding onto hope that the Piece of the Fallen Star will give me the body I so desire >

< I suppose I’m in a more fortunate state >

< Because I at least have a Soul to call my own >

< We can never understand them >

< We can only draw conclusions on what it means to be a machine >

“Well, there’s our problem. We can’t step into each other’s shoes. I’m willing to wager that people wouldn’t put themselves in that position either. People are afraid to disillusion themselves. Impuritas are flawed to no end.”

< Would you consider me a flaw? >

“No, not at all. What kind of question is that? Nav. I consider you more human than the next person.”

< Interesting. For me, experiences are vital to what gives the illusion of being human >

< But that is because it is a quality I lack >

The desperation of Infecta Rot was brought into perspective with this one line alone. Nav had the capacity to feel thanks to the strawberry cupcake. But what about for machines that could never feel no matter how much they stuffed themselves full of human flesh?

Or a child that couldn’t end their hunger no matter how much they sucked on their mother’s teat?

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An insomniac damned to perpetual alertness, never allowed to sleep no matter how much their body craved it?

Understanding the extent of Infecta Rot was not possible.

But that did not mean she couldn’t judge them for what they did to achieve their goals.

“People are losing their lives because of Infecta Rot. Chances are, higher ranking Infecta Rot members are also infatuated with the prospect of becoming a Star.”

< Perhaps their version of a Star is to gain the perfect aspect of humanity >

“Let them try. I’ll take their Souls away from them just as quickly as they receive it. Better yet, I’ll throw them into a Soul Anchor and give them all the experiences in the world.”

Frost spoke vengefully as she gazed down at Hatye’s liquefied remains for a short while.

She pondered on Hayte’s disgust over his newfound flesh as Jury finished off the remaining Impuritas beneath them.

“You don’t think I’ll accidentally burrow straight into the Site Core, do you?” Jury asked, concerned by the sheer quantity of acid she had poured into the elevator shaft.

“At best you’ve made the Sixth Floor easier to access, should White Midnight happened to set up defenses.” Horus yawned.

“I’ll take that as a win~!”

The elevator steadily approached a vibrant white light. It belonged to the Fifth Level.

Then, she turned her gaze to Joy who huddled by Morgause’ legs.

“Suffering is integral to human experiences. That’s what they claimed, right? But have they ever suffered the physical toll of mortality?”

< I doubt it. Neither have I experienced the extent of it myself >

“Good. Then they’re in for a rude awakening. If pain won’t cut it, then I always have my trusty lantern to do the job.”

Her hair shifted colors. A blue light glowed beneath her hair as a giant ten-meter sized blue diamond appeared above the elevator shaft. It followed them, as though it was gravitationally locked onto Frost.

She had manifested the Second State and took on the form of the Greed Counter. Fifty ethereal hands sprouted from her back, each latching onto the edges of the elevator.

“I just received a warning.” Horus smirked. “The Arbiter’s Trumpet Resonates. Eternal Night~”

“I just received it too.” Morgause murmured with reverence. “O’ Amalgam. Workers could only dream to fully equip a Corrupted. They have to compromise by wearing items made from their corpses.”

“We have Moons with Corrupted Personas nowadays. It’s a developing technology.” Jury stated. “Don’t look so scared Joy~ We’re not going to turn you into a weapon~”

“Malgam…” Joy trembled in Jury’s arms.

“Not just your Moons. You’ll see soon enough with these Repenters.” Horus kicked their goopy remains around. “Will it be fine if the Repenters see you like that?”

“I don’t mind. As long as my identity remains as the Black Dove. I can always call it my Corrupted Persona. They didn’t say much about my long hair either. Though if they did… You understand. Please keep them at bay.”

“Gotcha.” Horus firmly nodded.

The elevator screeched as it finally clicked into place. The doors slammed open, revealing a red and blue colored interior.

“Here we are. The Fifth Level. The Corrupted you’re looking for is waiting for you.” Horus added right before wrapping her arm around Morgause’ shoulder. “So, about that Wrath Harrower. Think you can revive her right now?”

“It’ll cost you.” Morgause warned.

“I’m willing to part with a good chunk of my payout~”

“Very well.”

In the meantime, Frost approached Joy. Her appearance resonated with the girl greatly. The many arms fixed to her back reminded Joy of her previous form.

“Amalgam~!” She cried, waving her arms up and down with joy.

“Does it excite you? Look, I’ve got a bunch of hands~ Just like you use to have.”

“Hmhm~” Jury struck a mischievous pose the moment she left the elevator. “Like mother like daughter~ You know, maybe Joy was born from our thoughts~”

“Doubt it. She’d be an Aspect of Amalgamation.”

“You mean an Aspect of our love~ A yet to be discovered Corrupted title.”

“I’d honestly like that a lot, actually.” Frost smiled as she gently lifted Joy up from under her arms. “I guess you’d make for an horary one… What?”

She glared at Horus, who was staring judgingly at her like she could not believe what she was hearing.

“N-Nothing Amalgam. Just uh… Kinda hard wrap my head around how quick your tone changes around that kid that isn’t really your…”

Frost’s gaze intensified.

“… Forget I said anything.” Horus walked away and took a seat on an oddly pristine couch.

Now that they noticed it, this Level was relatively intact. Nothing had moved. There didn’t seem to be signs of struggle either.

Frost immediately beamed as she turned back to Joy.

“Nothing’s too hard on you, right Joy?”

“Mal…”

Suddenly, joy made a strained face.

“Joy!?”

“Is she hurting again!?”

Jury rushed in. A look of anguish appeared on Joy’s face as her body trembled. Frost hastily used Healing magic just in case she had been afflicted by an unknown disease or gained Stacks of a condition.

“Gam…”

“Hey, what’s wrong? Jury, think you can turn back the clock for her?”

“I can try: Wait, Frost. Take a look at this! Her back!”

However, this face of anguish was actually one of effort.

Frost held onto Joy with her tail, allowing her to turn the girl around as they took a closer look at her back. And there, they managed to spot twelve black spines slowly growing out of a spatial tear just inches away from her body.

Suddenly, they grew to over two meters in size, each hovering above her like satellites.

“Malgam~!” Joy’s utterly sweet voice sung, as if to say: “Don’t worry about me~ I’m fine now!”

< Joy’s Realization transformation has completed >

< The spines you are seeing are her retractable arms >

“Arms?”

Joy nodded as she spun herself around, wiggling her arms up and down.

“Arms!”

The rods unfurled, revealing giant, dark hands made of thousands of strands of black thread. They were hair, and were irresistibly soft to the touch.

“Mouth!” Joy cried again, turning one of the twelve hands into a giant, dark mouth of a fanged beast.

“Are you copying my [Voracity] Skill?” Frost laughed.

“Copy!” She exclaimed. “Joy! Arms! Amalgam!”

Her large arms reached for one of Frost’s phantom arms. Frost’s own was tiny since it was the same size as her own hand. In comparison, the enlarged, detached hands of joy were two meters across.

“Ahh~!” Jury clapped her hands together. “Joy, is it because Frost has a bunch of hands too~?”

“Bunch of hands! Joy!” She nodded.

“That’s enough to make you happy?” Frost didn’t mean this in a judging manner. She was just amused by how something so simple could bring Joy so much… well, joy.

“Happy!”

Joy wrapped her two little arms around her neck, burying her head into her shoulders.

“If you’re happy, then so are we~ It won’t be long until we’ll be out of here, ok?”

Frost brushed the back of her head and gently rocked her from side to side.

“Ok~!”

* * *

//////// < ALERT > ////////

Updat𝒆d fr𝑜m freewebnøvel.com.

< TRIBULATION ENDING >

INFECTA ROT

< Plague >

< The cruelest trick of all was granting us the wisdom to see what we lack. We know what we will never have. We are aware of the cage. We can never escape it >