Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)

883. A Moment of Optimism

“I have four passives related to Omnidynamic. [Projectile Resistance IV], [Magic Resistance III], [Physical Resistance IV] and [Qliphoth Resistance III]. The level denotes the percentage of damage I can negate. It’s 10% per level!”

“10%? Ten? It reduces damage by that much?”

It seemed too good to be true. Jury demonstrated by striking her left arm. After deducting her DEF stat and seeing how much HP remained, Frost was able to confirm that this was indeed true.

40% resistance to projectiles and physical attacks was massive. 1,000,000 damage was cut down to just 600,000. However, it did not protect her from attacks that bypassed DEF stats or assailed her soul. Light-based attacks and Arbitrations were still highly effective.

[Qliphoth Resistance III] was the most interesting one.

Her resistances did not work on the Corrupted except for this.

“Qliphoth and the Corrupted aren’t as different as we think.” Nav suddenly spoke up from the side.

She was in the middle of building an igloo with Snap, who also tried to form a snowman in the shape of a spider. It kept crumbling away with every one of Cer’s shockwaves. Its eyes glistened every time it fell like it was on the verge of tears.

“Impurities is all they are. But then you get Corrupted like Our Happiest Moments.” Nav poked Snap’s head in an attempt to head pat it. “Or Snap. How sad.”

“Bzzt~ (Thank you~).”

“Yes. How very sad that you can’t even muster the dexterity to create a snow-spider.”

“Brrr…? (Awww?).”

“Allow me to show you how it is done.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Whilst Nav and Snap played with the snow, Jury showcased the last of her powers; [Retrocausality – Temporal Distortion] and [Temporal Stasis]. Both were Beholder Skills. The former created a bubble that slowed time in short proximity from Jury.

“Can I see it from my perspective?” Frost was curious about how it would affect her.

She had omnidirectional vision and a higher AGI stat. Above all, she could see several seconds into the future.

How would time affect this?

“Sure~! I’m warning you Frost – it’s a lot faster than you think.”

Jury gave her ample time to prepare.

“On the drop of this feather.” Frost released a black feather as Jury assumed a runner’s pose.

Then, she dashed forward with incredible speed as a faint light glowed in her left hand. Frost could see all outcomes in the form of ghostly projections with each micro adjustment she made.

Every outcome ended the same way with Jury’s hand landing on her stomach. Blocking Jury was a simple task. However, this changed the moment she entered Jury’s Temporal Distortion Field.

“Huh…?”

Her movements were cut down by one fifth. Her arms moved in slow motion as the variations of the future doubled before eventually falling into one, sole outcome.

“Gotcha~”

It was an unavoidable scenario. If she didn’t possess her foresight, then she likely would not have been able to perceive Jury the moment she crossed the Temporal Distortion Field. Frost wasn’t helpless, but she would rather she didn’t use area of effect Skills against a harmless showcasing of her lover’s power.

“Was it necessary to put your hand inside of my shirt?”

“I thought I’d recharge on my vitamin F – Frost while I had the chance.”

“Absorb as much as you want then. So, what about [Temporal Stasis]?”

[Prolonged Stasis] and the Mastery version of [Black Dove’s Roost] was similar to how [Temporal Stasis] worked, except for the fact that this Skill froze a person or object in time for a short duration.

The target would not be able to move, process information, or attack. Additionally, they would be immune from all conditions, damage and effects. It was like putting the target into cryostasis. [Angelic Kiss] was similar, but it still allowed the object or person to move freely.

This was reserved for emergencies, Frost imagined. The duration greatly extended the closer one was to death, or depending on how much Nex was used.

Frost couldn’t overstate how powerful this Beholder Skill was.

“You think Elysia was kept in stasis with this power as well?” Jury whispered, revealing the flavor text to Frost.

BEHOLDER SKILL: Temporal Stasis

< To remain as is in the present, hoping that the day I awaken will be in the presence of familiar faces. Will they forgive me for what I’ve done? Rely on yourself. Do not let them imprison you >

“It’s a late warning. Elysia must have known I was going to be hunted.” Jury wore a solemn look. “Frost. Do we still think Elysia is a bad person?”

“I don’t think so. Not Elysia as a person. Empathize with her. She did everything she could to stop Sinder from dying, and ended up causing the Cycles, the Shattering, the Corruption. I don’t believe they were intended.”

Frost knew what it was like to lose sight of oneself. The burning of the Nex Megalopolis was an unintended side-effect of her strive to save the world.

“It doesn’t change that she’s the source of a lot of the Corruption. We still haven’t figured out exactly why her Will does it. But, if she’s like me, then it’s probably an unintended side effect too. Maybe. Probably. Hopefully.”

“I agree. Elysia’s given me new tools. ‘Hoping that the day I awaken will be in the presence of familiar faces’. Hey, Frost. What happens if we do find Elysia?”

Jury nudged Frost with her shoulder.

“I wish I knew. Anna doesn’t have a book in her Library that tells us what will happen to us if we meet Elysia. We have no way of telling if she’s good or evil.” Frost said truthfully. “But it’s in our interest to find her before Iscario’s group does. We have a lot to do.”

“Like finding the Piece of the Fallen Star. Are we close?”

“The Piece of a Star needs to feed on Light before it can locate the Piece of the Fallen Star. Afterwards, we’ll need to amass desires to activate it. It’s our highest priority right now.”

The Piece of a Star was held in the Middle Sanctums. Aster and the Sacral Appraisers were the only people aside from the Archetypes who were allowed to interact with the Piece of a Star. It was their compass and only method of finding the Advent of Desire.

“I feel sorry for the Healers. I can’t imagine the suffering they went through to be living batteries. Light charges that object. Children of Adam, Seers of Evelyn, Healers… Haaaaah.”

The term ‘vessel’ came to Frost’s mind again. A boiling hatred stirred in her heart. Snow began to melt beneath her feet as she tried to wrap her mind around this madness. She could only see her enemy’s obsessions as a disease.

Not even one of them possessed an honorable aspiration.

The only silver lining right now was that the Librarians were split into two factions. The first were the ordinary Librarians that zealously followed the Authors of Existentia. The second were those who sought to break away from their prewritten lives and personas; to shelve that piece of them away and rewrite themselves anew, like those who served Anna in the Eternal Library.

They were the Bookkeepers.

“Stand aside, Jury. Just in case.” Frost warned, removing her gloves which were a replacement for the broken Dream Shatterers. “I’m going to blow off some steam.”

She rechecked her stats before unleashing hell in this frozen wasteland.

Status.

< We shall go down what you have gained since your fight with Iscario >