Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)

944. Returning To The Repenters

Frost and Jury returned with the child through an entirely different avenue.

It was an effort to reduce as many questions as possible.

However, that did not change the fact that they returned with a child.

A myriad of expressions appeared on the faces of the Acedia Special Division. Flabbergasted looks replaced those expressions, conveying the countless thoughts that came to mind.

How did a child end up here? Were they one of the missing people?

Or, more importantly, why did this child look like someone had mashed Frost and Jury together?

The latter made up 90% of their thoughts.

“Usari has heard that Avians can conceive a child in a matter of weeks. Colors can truly do anything they want, even when on the job.” Usari complained, mistaking Joy as their own biological child.

Indeed. Due to the severe time dilation Usari believed that they had managed to conceive of a child.

It wouldn’t be the strangest thing to happen in a Site.

For instance, certain kinds of ‘bonds’ could form between Workers and the Corrupted depending on the type of work they did on them.

Suffice to say, this resulted in a section of the Worker’s and Overseer’s Manual that outright stated that it was impossible for a Corrupted and Non-Corrupted to create an offspring. It should be a given, but there were certainly experiments to gauge whether this was true or not.

The very idea that Corrupted had the ability to procreate was a frightening thought, although, ‘procreation’ did not mean sex.

As in nature, procreation – which was usually in the form of implanting eggs, creatures, or mutating the host to become a denizen of the Corrupted – was often violent.

It was an interesting thought, as Frost couldn’t help but wonder if procreating would work with a Realized Corrupted…

… Yes. She was thinking about Jury.

Frost glared at the group to dismiss their thoughts. At once, their faces of concern became a clean slate.

“Obviously, we didn’t conceive of a child in the thirty minutes we spent slaughtering the Corrupted. A job that you should be able to handle. I imagine your Director has a large surplus of Reconstituting Fluids to burn through.”

She was annoyed by their reactions. Jury on the other hand was delighted, her ears flapping with joy.

Frost then continued as she joined the group, flicking stray pieces of black goop on her body.

“We found her roaming around the Site. Isn’t it part of a Repenter’s mission to recover civilians?”

This belonged to various Corrupted they had eliminated during their detour. None of them seemed worthy enough to Realized.

Furthermore, she did not want to handle more than one Realized Corrupted right now.

The only other she considered was that slug cat, since it had caught Jury’s eye.

“It depends.” Hayte began. “Unless it is specifically outlined in our contract, we are not obligated to rescue people. Civilian is stretch, however. My receptors tell me that the child in your hands is not ordinary.”

“Usari can smell her Corrupted scent from here. Normal people aren’t gonna notice, but Oboros Infinitas? She’s a big catch!”

They were Realized themselves. The proof was in their Original Origin.

Furthermore, Joy’s strange circumstances didn’t help her at all.

It was only natural for them to conclude that Joy used to be a Corrupted.

“They find out fast, huh? Surprised?” Horus yawned. “Part of their initiation was to figure out the difference between the masses and the peculiarities. The Acedia Special Division is special because they’re abnormalities at heart.”

Finally, Icara wrote:

“Oboros Infinitas will want her, on the basis that she is classified as a Sapient Corrupted.”

“Oboros Infinitas will not be touching anyone.” Frost proclaimed like her words were absolute. “This one is mine.”

“Ours~” Jury chimed in.

“Mal. Gam.” Joy beamed.

“What, a Color thinks they can go up against an entire Atelier?” Usari mocked. “Maybe at best you’re looking at killing a hundred Executives, and a handful of Directors if you’re anything like the Orange Disruptor. But Usari thinks a Code Blue will be in place. Eclipses are different breeds of monsters.”

Code Blue was ImpulseWork’s internal ‘Code’ for a Moon’s descent. Other Ateliers such as Scarlet Logic also utilized the Codes as a way to succinctly convey the gravity of the situation. This was especially true in high stress situations where there was no time to be briefed.

Frost shrugged. She did not need to prove anything to them.

However, that bunny’s mannerism was starting to get to her.

As a result, she closed the distance – which was over ten meters – in the blink of an eye.

She grabbed her ears in an unbreakable grip and lifted her until her feet could no longer touch the ground. Frost moved faster than they could ever dream to perceive. Usari’s mind blanked for what seemed like minutes.

Then, chains of terror ensnared her like the coils of a serpent.

“E-Eeek –!?”

“Will they? When I, the Black Dove, am the very face of the Black Wings? The Head treats their Healers well. A small favor such as keeping an ex-Corrupted by my side is insignificant in the grand scheme. To threaten me with the Moons of the Head would imply that they have no qualms in eliminating their Healers. And for what? For this?”

Frost’s eyes glowed a bright gold. She did not squeeze enough to injure the bunny. Dominating a Repenter physically was a waste as they could always return. Of course, this was while Frost was in the guise of the Black Dove.

Otherwise, she would have shown them true terror.

Instead, she dominated Usari psychologically.

“Are you trying to make an enemy out of the Head?”

“U-Usari… did not mean it like that… E-Even bunnies… Rabbits… know not to mess with a Black Wing…”

“Would you like to elaborate on these ‘bunnies’?”

“Easy now, Black Dove. No need to break one of the Director’s pawns.” Horus tried to calm Frost down, her usual unserious demeanor shifting slightly.

She had peeled away from the wall.

That was enough to prove that she was ready to step in.

No one here aside from Jury knew Frost’s nature. Of course, she wouldn’t randomly kill Usari. However, Horus did not know this.

And knowing of her soul-eliminating ability, it was in Horus’ best interest to keep her Repenters away from Frost’s mouth.

“Bunnies. The clones of whatdoyoucallit, from wherefromstever.” Horus began to speak in a more formal manner, her eyes glowing to match Frost’s in intensity.

… Horus has an obligation to keep them alive. I believe it’s part of her contract. Even if it means fighting me, huh. I see… I shouldn’t be troubling them like this then.

She released Usari in good faith, causing Horus to let loose of a long, relieved sigh.

Sweat dripped from the sides of her head like bullets.

“Rosentrot. That Phenom of Contempt. Long story short, she leads those cloned Scarlet Logic bunnies for one reason or another. The point our big-mouthed troublemaker here is trying to make is that they tend to avoid Black Wings.”

“We have more of these anomalies in the Nex Megalopolis?” Frost was genuinely asking as she watched Hayte and Icara resume rummaging through the Corrupted they had slayed earlier.

“More than we can count unfortunately. Don’t underestimate the size of the Nex Megalopolis. It’s grown bigger than Paradise. The entire Kingdom of Puritas can’t hold a candle to it anymore. Fifteen years of development in a post-Paradise Lost does that to a civilization. In any case, that’s what Repenters are for.”

Slowly, she approached the child, prompting Frost to reach out to stop her.

“Hold. Like I said, she’s mine.” Frost staunchly warned.

“Aren’t you being overly defensive of a little…”

Horus began sweating twice as hard as Frost’s presence amplified by tenfold. Her presence could be felt by the Repenters, who were unsure why their blood felt like it was being brought up to a boil, whereas the Blood Angel lowered her head in reverence.

Horus’ eyes flicked to somewhere above Frost, as though she could visibly see an aura surrounding her.

“Never mind. I’ll comply. I was curious as to what caught your eye. It’s… I mean, she’s unspectacular, but you do have the ability to find diamonds in the rough. Ladies. Know where the red tape lies.”