Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)

932. Ghost Sightings

A defeated Frost joined them after the debacle.

With their reunions set aside, they could now get down to business.

“Horus. Please bring them inside. I’ve had my fill, and I imagine that Abigail is also satisfied. We will begin with the briefing immediately.”

“Yep, yep. Coming right up, Acedia. Try not to fling my name around. We’re not that close.”

Acedia could only smile passively at Horus’ hostile remark.

“Is it not in the interest of a human to form bonds?”

“Humans, Demi-Humans, Half-breeds, the lot of them are too fragile to be making bonds.” Horus said with a pessimistic look. “Ladies. Get your asses in. The Director’s calling you.”

One by one, the Repenters emerged from the darkness, standing a meter away from the desk. Usari began investigating the room with wandering eyes.

“Eyes on the Director.” Hayte warned. “This is no time to be distracted.”

“Usari is checking if there’s a Minu Auditor secretly around. Would hate to see a Time Reverberation member here.”

This immediately piqued Jury’s interest.

“Hm? How come?”

It was a first for Jury.

While it was not uncommon for the complaints of Atelier personnel to reach her ears due to the nosiness of Time Reverberation (and the Head by extension), it was not like they despised them.

After all, it was no coincidence that the death rates across the board had dropped since the Amalgam introduced the Code of Conduct.

Outlined within the Code of Conduct was an explicit order to prioritize life above all else, expect under specific circumstances. These circumstances had to fulfil three criteria: that it was necessary, unavoidable, and in the interests of the Nexus.

For instance, maintaining control over the Fate Mechanism required Act X to bend the rules. Regular suffering prescribed by the Scripts was not uncommon. It has since been reduced thanks to the introduction of the Code of Conduct, but it came at the cost of Act X’s predictions becoming far less frequent.

There was even speculation that it had become less accurate.

Therefore, Frost had to come to an agreement with Marionette later regarding how far she can bend the rules for the sake of maintaining control over the Fate Mechanism.

“Usari has a vendetta against people who think they’re above us. Have you seen the grins on their faces!? The smirks!? Like they own you!?”

Usari sighed, continuing:

“Do you know how long people have to wait to become a Repenter because of them? H10 is the only place where the ritual happens. They check their watches, another scrubs through your mind, and then you’re slapped in front of a Justitia Scale and a Galia zealot. If it doesn’t go right, then you’re stripped down to your ribs. You don’t even know what the hell is going on. Usari hates them. Usari took the special contract, but Usari was still treated like a bag of meat!”

“Ahem.” Abigail cleared her throat threateningly, causing the bunny to seal her lips. “Can we start? Let’s not kick this off by putting a bullet into your skull. Don’t forget that each time you die, you lose a good chunk of Reconstituting Fluids.”

In other words, the Blood of the Amalgam.

It served as a currency as well as their lifeline. It was an ingeniously sinister method of keeping them chained to Oboros Infinitas. Since death was commonplace, most Repenters either barely broke even or were in the negatives.

It was incredibly difficult to climb up the ranks.

One could liken it to attempting to climb up the steep walls of hell with nail-stripped fingers.

Few knew who this blood belonged to. Specific coins tied to Oboros Infinitas were also constructed from this blood. If a mere droplet was worth more than a single gold coin, then one had to imagine just who it belonged to.

With everyone now in place and eager to begin – or rather, conclude the briefing, Acedia interlocked her fingers and leaned forward.

“How lively. It’s good that you’re in high spirits. You’ll need it for the coming mission.”

Then, with unblinking eyes, she began.

“We received a message from a Herald regarding a Seed User. For intents and purposes, the Atelier likes to refer them as Germinated Seeds.”

Germinated Seeds referred to people who had consumed a Seed of the Advent of Judgement and had become Impuritas. Due to the beam of light that they emitted upon consumption, they were easy to identify initially.

“Usari already knows –! Mmph!?”

“Apologies for this one.” Hayte clamped her mouth shut with a gloved hand. “But Usari does have a point. We arrived aware of this ahead of time. I doubt it is worth reciting to a Color, less one of her caliber.”

Acedia took out a sheet of paper from the middle of a stack. She slid it in front of the table, all without blinking. She could not have possibly known if what she drew was the correct page.

“That task is our joint operation with four Divisions to eliminate the Germinated Seed. What I have call you here is for the interests of the Acedia Special Division.”

“Meaning you, huh.” Frost said.

Acedia’s smile only grew. She then gazed upon Icara inconspicuously, prompting her to scribble on her magical notepad.

“Oboros Infinitas’ interest, and our resident engineer.”

“We are after a Genesis Stone.”

The recovery of Genesis Stones was a major component of Oboros Infinitas. Moons were not equipped with dealing with a Genesis Stone due to how it could cause one to inadvertently Corrupt.

The stronger one’s mental burden, the more powerful the resonance with a Genesis Stone was. Blessed was also susceptible to it, but nowhere near as much as the Moons.

Part of Oboros Infinitas’ resolution in Frost’s first ever Arbiter’s Council was that Moons could only attempt to recover a Genesis Stone after it has resonated with another being.

“What does Oboros Infinitas need Genesis Stones for?” Frost asked.

“I assure you that you’ll find your answer at the tail end of this.” Acedia promised. “I say this because it is easier to demonstrate its use.”

Frost didn’t mind it, since the answer would come soon enough. Plus, a demonstration would be easier to understand than to hear her now and have questions later.

Although, Icara was thoughtful enough to write:

“Upgrades.”

“Genesis Stones are a phenomenal material. I am not surprised that my brethren are after it, but for them to drag their chassis here of all places is concerning. Newborns do not arrive alone. A fetus requires sustenance. Before that, there must be a womb. I’m struggling to rationalize how there could be a Dungeon here.”

“Take a look at the paper.” Jury announced. “That cross section is of an ImpulseWorks Site. From my understanding, can’t Impuritas invade ImpulseWorks Sites without the presence of a Dungeon?”

Mimicry wore a proud look on her face, the type that said: “That’s my mother.”

“Precisely. Thirty days ago, there were reports of seismic activity reported by newly adopted seismographs, courtesy of Caldera Industries. A Dungeon was expected to appear within fifty kilometers of this location, but nothing of interest appeared. However, Act X was able to confirm the existence of a Ghost Site. G-Y0.”

Nav. Ghost Sites?

Ghost Sites

< A phenomenon where a Zero Horizoned Size (Destroyed) reappears. It has the tendency to change locations at random. Corrupted deemed to have been destroyed inhabit the Ghost Site >

< It is possible that G-Z7 is a Ghost Site as well, although, the lack of a ‘0’ indicates that it is fully operational >

Acedia tilted her head. Abigail fiddled with several buttons on what appeared to be a touch-sensitive keyboard. It was a keyboard straight out of a science fiction novel, but the mechanism behind it were grounded in magic. Tiny magical circles appeared around her fingertips with each silent clack.

The shutters of the window closed. When the natural light was sealed off, a projection was shown on the windows behind Acedia.

Oboros Infinitas would be the Atelier with Earth-like advancements. They’re founded by people of the Old World, so I’m not surprised. It’s cool to see.

The projection was a detailed cross section of G-Y0; the type that only an Overseer and Navigator would have access to within their Command Room. It consisted of seven floors, indicating that up to Black Monsoon-Levelled Corrupted were kept there.

Green Trickle my ass.

“Take into consideration that all they have to do is kill an Impuritas. Collectively. One that lacks notoriety.”

Please don’t try to defend this Nav. As logically sound as they try to make it to be, it’s fucking bullshit. Their only saving grace is that this is for the Repenters.

Frost inadvertently caused the air to freeze due to her gaze.

“Sorry. Please, continue.” She said to Acedia.

“Thank you. Coincidentally, our Germinated Seed and our Genesis Stone reside somewhere within the Ghost Site. You are to prioritize the recovery of the Genesis Stone at all costs.”

Various markers appeared on the screen. They memorized those locations as they were the most likely place for the Genesis Stone and the Germinated Seed to reside; with the former being much deeper into the Site.

“And that’s why I’m here.” Horus sighed. “I don’t usually get involved. I just delegate. But when unavoidable shit like this arises, then what can I do but get swept by the flow.”

Suddenly, Acedia’s gaze intensified.

Black, nestled rings appeared in her irises.

“Please do not let it slip into the hands of another group. That setback meant that we didn’t have the upgrade we required to house your future team leader – Azazel. Do keep in mind that failures harm you as much as they harm me.”

“Understood.” Hayte firmly nodded. “A descent into an abandoned Site it is. Question. The Site has already experienced an implosion. Are our only threat the Corrupted taking residence within?”

Horus took over for Acedia here, whacking a dozing Usari’s head with Icara’s notepad.

“You’re on a timer. Once the Site disappears, then you get to experience the hell that comes with a Zeroed Horizon. Buckle up Repenters. We’re about to harrow hell.”

“Usari want to know if the briefing is over yet. Usari knows what to do. Usari has professional experience in Killzone Sites.”

Acedia got up from her chair and moved towards the screen. There, she pointed at a particular room and looked back at Frost.

“One last thing. There is a message I have for you, Black Dove.”

“From Act X, I presume?”

“From someone with higher authority.”

Oh. The Director. It’s been a while since he’s sent a letter. I wonder if he’s reaching out since we’ll be heading over to the City of Strings soon.

“You will find a necessary Corrupted waiting for you on the fifth Floor. Leave that one to the Black Dove.”

She knew right away what it was.

A Main Sequence Corrupted resided there.

The how and why would be answered in due course, although, she still could not help but wonder how it ended up there.

“The ARU will come and extract what remains behind you. Please limit the number of Corrupted you kill. We will be getting paid a bonus for every Corrupted recovered.”

“Usari will make friends with the Corrupted!”

Noticing the growing perplexity on Frost’s face, Hayte answered.

“My brethren are known to have a number of Corrupted in their possession. To bring a Corrupted is apodictic proof that they intend to recover the Genesis Stone. That obsession for a Soul. I pity them. If only they knew the burdens of the flesh. They shall despise me for all I am.”

A deep, resounding sorrow reverberated through his chassis.

“Why would a machine despise another machine? Or itself when it has gained mortality? I do not understand.”

Neither do I.

“I wonder. If they were to see me, then what would those machines feel?”

There was only one emotion that came to mind.

And it was envy.

The shuttered opened, blinding everyone in the room aside from Jury, Frost and Horus. Once the screen faded away, and when Acedia gracefully spun to face them, she concluded the briefing.

“Now then, please group up at the town’s clinic. You will rendezvous with the accompanying Divisions. Death is almost certain. Therefore, Abigail will not waste her bullets on you. However, there will be a Healer working alongside you.”

“Under whose order?” Frost asked.

If a Healer was being sent into this Site, then she wanted to know exactly who the bastard was.

But to her surprise it was not an ordinary Healer.

“No one. The Healer herself has chosen to aid you. A Blood Angel. She will serve as your mobile Replication Anchor and Blood Reservoir. That way, if you were to die then you will return to the fight in under a minute.”

The Germinated Seed, the Genesis Stone, the Ghost Site – all of them were secondary to Frost.

Recovering the Main Sequence Corrupted was of utmost importance.