Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)

827. The Sub States and the Immortalized Woe

“Lysis. Cellular destruction. Marduk…” Frost’s voice trailed off.

His power is similar to Ignis’ in a way. Iscario’s eye is like an advanced version of the bags Ignis made to protect the Healers. He’s a symbiote… or, it’s more like he’s a parasite.”

“You’ve given Marduk’s living augmentations a run for their worth. But if it takes this long for it to ramp up – Then it is nothing compared to a Beholder’s might.”

“You’ve been holding that this entire time?”

“Does anything last forever? Armor is meant to withstand blows until it is broken. Archetypes are no different. But you defy that. Why is that Amalgam? It’s as though you’re unfit to be judged like the rest. Still…!”

Suddenly, a barrage of the False Spears of Annihalation attacked Frost again. It was really the only useful Skill Iscario had against her, although this could be countered through the [Oblivion Lock].

However, Iscario could also conjure these on his own.

“… You are not immune to these spears!”

Frost paid no heed to his sudden power up. She did the only thing she knew how to. His swings were certainly faster and heavier. Furthermore, he was able to adapt and react to her movements far faster than usual.

But there was one flaw she immediately recognized.

“You make as though you’ve come across the Archetypes! There were only two Archetypes in the world before I arrived!”

Frost explicitly targeted the left part of his body. She could not move or throw him like before due to his increased weight as well as the explosions of [Reactive Armorlysis], but still, she had him right where she wanted.

“Is that what you’ve been told? Or, is that that no one is yet aware of the Archetype of Attachment’s existence?”

“What do you mean? Their Floor is seal shut.”

“Am I supposed to know what that means!? Perhaps you’re already aware of it! That thorn that would not leave that pest’s side until the day of her reckoning!”

“You’ve gone insane.”

“Contrary, Amalgam… you of all people should know who I am referring to.”

Frost didn’t know what he meant. Nor was she in the position to dabble in such thoughts. But her heart ached in response, as if subconsciously knowing exactly who he was talking about.

Her attacks became harsher, making her slightly more predictable as several more rods impaled her back. This only slowed her down. If it weren’t for [Thermal Propagation], then she would not have been able to continue dodging the lances.

Suddenly, Frost’s eyes widened.

It couldn’t be… Are they… Is he…

< “Frost. I have some news for you. It’s about Jury.” >

Frost bit her lip until she drew blood. Her eyes burned with renewed hatred as her emotions began to soar once again.

< “Jury memories of the missing 14 years have returned.” >

< “Jury was never a Corrupted.” >

“Finally, a glimpse of that sweet agony I saw. It brings me back to that look of confusion. That despair in your eyes. You look as magnificent as I imagined you to be. Those glimmers of hope in your eyes don’t suit you after all.”

“Jury… what happened to her…?”

“I’ll leave that to your imagination~”

“ISCARIOOOOOOO!”

The world erupted with a flame unlike anything before. The pulse of flames Frost emitted went as far as the eye could see. Suddenly, concrete spires emerged from the ground. A city sprung from nowhere like she had manifested a Corrupted Zone.

“Your rationality always had a limit. This changes nothing. This… will be a most wonderful sight to destroy once my wish is fulfilled.” Iscario cradled his dearest sister. It wept in his arms, but he did not seem to understand why.

He believed that it was because she dearly missed him.

A pair of flaming wings emerged from Frost’s back. They shielded her from all attacks until the egg cracked, revealing a Frost whose body was riddled with glowing cracks. Her eyes were an opaque golden red, as was her mouth. Her flesh was merely a vessel for the hellish flames within.

< PASSIVE: Immortalized Woe >

< Transgressions and anguish that predefined me. Show me the virtues that can overcome it all >

< EFFECT: At certain sub-emotional states, four additional Corrupted Skills will be available. Mid-Manifested Corrupted Skills become changeable and altered depending on one’s Sanity/Mental State >

Rational thoughts could no longer be formed at this instant. Only pure instinct remained.

//////// < WARNING > ////////

< You have reached a Sub-Emotional State. You are bordering the threshold between the 4th and the 5th State >

< Various Skill of the Crowned are now at your disposal >

< [INSTABILITY: Clubs of the Voiceless] >

< And nothing was said ever again >

< EFFECT: Deal 100% more damage to those who speak out. Emerald crystals have arrived to aid you. You may compress the woes of civilization to perform an attack dealing 5,000,000 damage. Unavoidable attack >

One segment of the 15-kilometer city was filled with green crystals. They cried unanimously like the screams of countless tortured souls, and Frost immediately assailed Iscario. She dragged his body to the green district, smashing through building after building. Gaping holes were left behind, each glowing white-hot due to Frost’s newfound heat.

“YOU’RE THE ONE WHO RUINED JURY’S LIFE!? IT WAS YOU!? YOU!?”

But despite this being an INSTABILITY Skill, Frost could still think. She did not completely lose herself. Rather, it was just that her mindset favored the Instability Skills over the Stability ones.

“It was never hers to begin with.” Iscario smirked. He only smirked because he knew that nothing Frost did could reach him.

This was the unfortunate truth.

Iscario | HP: 37,000,000

No matter how many buildings Frost carved with him like a knife, the lack of pain and tangible damage only made things seem futile. The green, screaming crystals leapt into Frost’s path, allowing her to plough Iscario through even more objects.

But nothing could hurt him.

Thousands of emerald crystals took to the skies. They each cried out their woes and pointed beam of green light towards Frost. An emerald gemstone shaped like a suit of clubs appeared just before her chest.

“THEN WHO WAS IT FOR!?”

“Ours. That was what she was, and what you were supposed to be –!”

A high-pitched scream winded up before a colossal beam of energy was fired directly at Iscario. The unavoidable attack thew him towards the blue district. Everything in between was reduced to molten slag.

Rods continued to riddle her back. Dozens jutted out. Each rod further decreased her maximum HP. It reached a point she had permanently lost 25% of her total HP.

< [INSTABILITY: Diamond Greed] >

< Our value was dictated by what could be stolen from us >

< EFFECT: Deal 100% more damage to those who refuse to acknowledge their Inherent Value. Your Diamonds will aid you to deem their worth. You may compress the woes of civilization to perform an attack dealing 5,000,000 damage. Unavoidable attack >

It was the same scenery again. The world caught alight. Bullets flew left and right.

But the two remained stagnant.