Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)

961. The Void of The Sixth Level

Flashing light flickered through the holes of the Central Elevator. They had reached a point where the elevator shaft was illuminated with pale strips of light.

Four of these ran along each cardinal direction of the shaft. Between them were panes of glass revealing a sea of pale-blue Liquid Nex. Frost poked at the glass with a monstrously long blood-crystalized spear. Tapping on the glass caused bubbles to form and spread within the sea like a virus.

She sat on the edge of a broken segment of the elevator, her legs dangling out to feel the cool rush of air.

That rush of air gradually disappeared. It seemed like they were moving through a vacuum. Though it didn’t explain how they were able to still breathe, nor speak. The sensation was odd. They were clearly falling, but it did not feel like it.

“I wasn’t aware of just how much Liquid Nex a Site produces in a single day. Do we have a number?”

< A fully unsealed Site can produce upwards of two million liters of Liquid Nex daily >

< ImpulseWorks supplies the Nexus as a whole, including the Ateliers, with sixteen million liters daily >

< Site M-A1 and Inflow Direct are the primary consumers of Liquid Nex. Caldera Industries’ consumption is projected to reach similar levels >

“That’s to be expected with their war machines being recommissioned. Good thing we have Oboros Infinitas as another producer of Nex. You know, it’s hard to put it into perspective just how much we need to keep the Ateliers functioning.”

The biggest risk was if a Beholder could not meet their daily Nex requirement. None had missed this so far, but it was believed that the Beholders of the past who were not able to meet this demand were driven mad.

Pestilence, war, famine and death.

These were the diseases that plagued the Dark Ages which saw the world of Elysia plunge into widespread chaos. The major contributors were, of course, the many Beholders, which later resulted in the War in Heaven.

As a result, maintaining their Nex production was in the interest of not just the Nexus, but the greater part of the world.

“Which makes me wonder if we can replace our reliance on Nex with this.”

She snapped her fingers, forming a small bead of pure Light at the tip of her fingers.

It was bright enough to outshine the strips of light nearly a hundred meters away in each direction. Yet at the same time, she was able to look at this bead of Light without having to cover her eyes.

“Usari detects another attack!” Usari exclaimed, her ears pointing her to the direction of the Light in Frost’s possession. “Oh. It’s just the Black Dove.”

It was not just her who noticed this flash of Light. Surrounding Frost was a CognitO Filter paired with a small Isolation Sphere to allow her to view the Light in privacy. But somehow, the Light was not affected by these safeguards at all.

She extinguished it as quickly as it appeared and replaced it with a bright-orange ball of fire as she deactivated the CognitO Filter and the Isolation Sphere.

“Are you all that interested in a tiny spark of light?” Frost tried to dismiss their curiosity as she flailed the orb around.

They replied with an array of nods, especially Icara whose eyes sparkled with delight.

“Never seen a flash of light that didn’t scorch Usari’s eyes out.” Usari said, followed by Hayte who said:

“You haven’t been exposed yet to the esoteric kinds of ‘light’ out there. Icy. Your inner Witch is showing. Have some restraint.”

Icara put on a dejected expression, like a dog that had been left out in the rain. Unfortunately for her, Frost had no plans to spill the secret of her newfound power. Nor was she going to reveal another bead of Light.

Besides, there wasn’t a need to.

[Brightlight Pollination] was limited to the transferal of Light, rather than the use of it. Additionally, it was a temporary transfer. But Frost would be an utter fool to underestimate the value of this Ability.

Impuritas lack Light. I wonder if it’s possible to grant them Light. The real question is what happens to them once they gain Light. I doubt they’ll become Puritas.

< There is one last Tribulation to face >

< We can use them to experiment with the effect Light has on the Impuritas >

Exactly. I’d like to see if it also works the same way the Black Moons utilize Light.

Black Moons had the unique ability to harness internal Nex and create Light. This Light would then be transferred to an Iron Star to activate First State Absolution. Iron Stars lacked the ability to harness Light of their own and had limited access to the Light of the Nexus compared to that of regular Stars.

This was why Iron Stars were paired with a Black Moon.

Furthermore, it was precisely for this reason that they were the most effective force outside of the Nexus’ reach.

Two conditions needed to be fulfilled to gain Light from the Nexus.

Be in sight of the Nexus and be on the same world level as the Nexus – which was the Epiderma in this case.

I can fuel Cer and whoever Awakens, huh. Even beyond the Nexus. Pretty handy, hey? Light takes way too much to create. What was the ratio, like a billion Nex to one Light?

< Far more than what Beholders use >

Yeah. But the Light Bank lets us use twenty-five Light per day. Imagine we could replace the Beholders need for Nex with Light? Wouldn’t that be awesome?

< Since when were you a dreamer? >

Frost laughed. “Something to think about.”

The looks of curiosity turned to concern. Frost had a bad habit of verbally talking to Nav in the earshot of the others, often garnering strange looks. The Repenters however were more concerned about which team she was talking to rather than if she was missing a few screws in her head.

That being said, this talk about the Light brought Frost to one last observation.

“Mal.” Joy shuffled close, sitting behind her.

She placed her back against Frost’s, all the while Jury leaned against the wall beside them.

Are Nex-based technology incapable of interacting with the Light? The Isolation Sphere and CognitO Filter should have at least stopped most of the Light.

< Its properties are similar to yours, since you also defy these rules >

< I do not believe it is not that they cannot interact >

< It is that Light resists being concealed >

Makes sense. I can barely conceal myself as well.

< Don’t forget that the Whitelight Apparatus – a Light-based technology – is what allows for the creation of Nex-based technology >

Indeed. Light and Nex could interact with another, albeit in a one-sided manner. Nex-based tech could be manipulated thanks to the Whitelight Apparatus. But the opposite was not true as far as they could tell.

Light itself was not easy to manipulate. Frost even now didn’t know where to start. Nor did the millions of years old Lailah, Michaela and Dark Memoria.

However, this Ability brought her all the closer to tapping into its infinite potential.

And perhaps her own.

* * *

The monotonous grey shaft eventually turned black. Pitch black. They plunged into near total darkness.

The strips of light which had been illuminating the shaft could now barely penetrate a meter into the darkness.

Frost’s flames were unable to properly dispel this darkness. However, the light of her Eyes protected the elevator from this unnatural force. She tapped away at the wall and relied on its vibrations to detect any sudden changes.

“We’re close to the Sixth Level. Contrary to what you expect, the void of the abyss does not exist in the Seventh Level. It’s here. In this place. Now why would ImpulseWorks mix the two up?” Horus explained. “The light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve heard the ramblings of people from this floor. They always talk about the cocoon. The metamorphosis that occurs within the dark.”

Morgause scoffed at Horus, throwing a hand into the air to dismiss her claims.

“That outdated belief is still employed by the Abyssal Mother? Why is it that an Aquatid is so obsessed with gaining wings? No need for wings in the water. It doesn’t matter in the end. The depths of the abyss drags you down whole regardless. The Sixth Level itself is not engulfed in traditional darkness. It will be a sight to see.”

“Sounds fun~” Jury hummed. “Looks kinda like the smoke the Memento Mori use. Qliphoth-based, right?”

Morgause nodded.

“This is [Darkness]. It’s a byproduct of purified Liquid Nex. The refining process scrubs out unnecessary fathoms. The thoughts of the Corrupted, the murmurs some tend to hear – all of it results in the dark clump you are seeing.”

Curious, Frost shut her eyes momentarily, allowing the darkness to engulf the elevator. Joy held onto her tightly as she did this.

[Analyze Object].

< Your Analyze Object Level is too low >

< Analyze Object IV [9/10] >

Despite this, Frost had an idea of what this was. Jury had already said it. This was likely Qliphoth, or a form of it at least. What stumped her was that this meant Qliphoth could be found in Nex.

With how close they’re associated with the Corrupted as well, I can’t say I’m surprised. But I wasn’t aware that Qliphoth can be found in Nex. Did no one notice this?

< The number of people aware of the existence of Qliphoth number in the tens >

< When oil burns, do we think of the emissions as anything other than waste? >

< It is easier to view them as entirely separate things >

Makes you wonder how deep the rabbit hole goes. Nex, Sins, Qliphoth, Light… then there’s P-Factor. Qliphoth as we know it is a primordial impurity. Sins you can say are moralistic. Impuritas are more basic than the rest.

“Beholders of increasing age require Nex in a purified state. Beholder Marionette is not old enough to rely on it yet.” Morgouse added, continuing with: “The Nex Refinery of a Site is located somewhere between the Sixth Level and the Seventh Level. We will come across it.”

The elevator slowed. Frost’s spear began to rattle against something coarse. She couldn’t put her finger on what it was, but given its texture, her mind immediately went to ‘teeth’.

However, she couldn’t be further away from the truth.

Suddenly, a crystal spike tore through the center of the elevator.

“Crystal spears!?” Usari exclaimed, touching her nose which had almost been scrubbed off her face. “MORE OF THEM!”

The crystal spines were only able to puncture places where Frost’s [Starlight Barrier] could not defend. They were perfectly safe near Frost, but the other end that contained the entrance was violently torn off.

“They are not spears, rabbit.” Hayte muttered, placing a hand onto the crystal.

Tiny crystal shards formed around his gloved hand like frost.

Then, as the elevator stopped at the gaping entrance of the Sixth Level, he uttered:

“Silicon Rot. We are in the territory of my brethren.”

There was no light to see what lurked beyond the entrance. But the sounds of harmonic crystal hums, and the stomping of hundreds of mechanical feet made it clear what exactly was hiding behind the darkness.

“It seems that the Nex Refinery is here.” Morgause coldly spoke.

“They got something worth defending~! Black Dove. You got a way to share that light of yours?”

“I do as a matter of fact.”

Frost reinstated the Light with the snap of her fingers. This time, and through sheer willpower, she was able to control its intensity. A hundred meters of darkness was banished by the emphatic light, revealing a grand entrance equally as large.

The walls were painted black. The floors were no different. The furnishings that were entombed in meters of crystals were twisted and warped, with proportions that no sane mind would call normal.

And within that darkness were machines sculpted in the shape of malformed humans. But rather than flesh being contained within steel, it was flesh that was wrapped around steel skeletons. They were large, with thin arms and legs that were longer than their torsos.

The only part of them that were completely metal was an iron coffin that served as their torso.

* * *

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

< TRIBULATION IN EFFECT >

INFECTA ROT

< Complex >

< If we cannot gain what they were given at creation, then let there be no difference at all. Let us become one. There shall be no difference >