Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)

601. Apostles of The Icon of Judgement

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

< The Rewound has manifested the Corrupted Zone of the Icon of Judgement >

 

< CORRUPTED ZONE >

| PARADISE FOUND |

 

< The Icon of Judgement Seeks Salvation >

< Its Wings Wander The World In Search For Its Earthly Paradise >

 

< CONDITION: The Icon of Judgement arbitrates all within its domain. When MP of a cognizant beings reaches 0, then Salvation will be enacted >

 

< The Corrupted Zone of the Icon of Judgement | Paradise Found | may not be escaped until the Subjugation of the Icon of Judgement >

 

< ADDITIONAL CONDITION: Manifesting any Corrupted or Corrupted Persona that is not of the Judgement Affinity or Righteousness Attribute will result in your immediate Salvation >

 

< Maintain your Emotional State! >

 

< SUPPRESSION REQUIREMENT: Icon of Judgement will become vulnerable when Penance is received by the One Marked by Judgement.

 

< Only the One Marked By Judgement will be given an audience >

 

< When they confess and bear the sins of all, then the Icon of Judgement will begin an unstoppable countdown to its self-immolation >

 

< SUBJUGATION REQUIREMENT: Allow Penance to be Enacted >

 

Was it really that simple?

Frost thought as she opened fire on the First Apostle now knowing that it was an enemy. Bullets pierced through its body with ease. After all, its DEF stats were abysmal.

De Jure’s base ATT combined with the 12,500 ATT of Infinite Hatred dealt 19,500 pure ATT damage, easily chipping away at the pale armor.

Golden streaks ran through it in a pattern that resembled veins. It was worthy of being revered, though it was unclear if it was truly armor or was a part of that thing’s body.

Nevertheless, the being’s wings folded in front of it. Suddenly, a dangerous chill ran down Frost’s spine as she foresaw her bullets returning to her.

<> [Divine Works] <>

 

< Corrupted Skills designated by <> belong to secondary Corrupted >

“So that’s your Ability!”

She quickly stepped aside, watching the entity charge straight for her, its legs never touching the ground for it hovered mere inches from it.

It was a Corrupted Skill that allowed it to deflect and resist bullets. However, little did it know that De Jure was her handicap.

Sparks gloriously exploded as Frost’s fist connected with it. Since its feathers were armored, Frost utilized [Armor Piercing]. This enhanced her ATT by 25% against armored opponents but reduced the damage by 75% if they were used against fleshy targets.

The being was not thrown back. Rather, it tanked it as if it were gravitationally anchored in place. Frost’s fist left a heavy crater into its feathers as a dull pain shot up her arm.

<> [Everlasting Repent] <>

 

The First Apostle | HP: 321,750

Frost | HP: 15,487,000

Frost received 13,000 ATT damage, which was precisely how much damage she had just dealt. The pain was temporary, and Frost smiled in the face of this this Apostle. For many this would have been a catastrophic filter, but it could not be more fitting for a Healer like Frost.

She did not give it a second to spare, connecting several more punches combined with her fire magic. Consecutive flaming strikes battered the entity which twisted its body, using its wings to bisect Frost. However, she allowed herself to be struck, caring little for her boundless HP as her hands took chunks from the Corrupted’s body, steadily replenishing her mana as well as activating her [Severe Combo] Passive Skill.

Finally, [Thermal Propagation] caused a blinding fireball to conceal her movements as she dug her hands into the fleshy core beneath the armor, pulling strands from the rush of steam.

< “Thou hath agreed to the terms. Thee will be the first to harrow hell. And when thee raised thou hand to the skies I answered with my teachings.” >

 

< “Why do birds fly?” >

 

The First Apostle held out a hand to the skies as its HP was easily whittled down by Frost. She attempted to hack it off using the power of her all-consuming maw, however, her jaw was repelled by an invisible force that threw her tens of meters backwards.

“Invulnerability again!?”

< Remain calm. It is only an Eternal Night Corrupted >

 

< Seize the moment. You are losing 10,000 MP per minute >

 

Particles of brilliant light suddenly formed in the hand of The First Apostle. Red, gold, and blue tendrils made from the same particles that the Icon of Judgement syphoned from the living were absorbed into its hand.

What formed was a pale, twisted spear. A double helix ran from the base of the spear up to the tonged tip which then combined into a hollow point. Within shone a golden apple so perfectly crafted that Frost subconsciously felt like it was something that should not be touched.

 

The First Apostle | HP: 120,000

< The First Apostle stops to think for an answer >

 

< But alas, all is silent. The bells only ring. The trumpets call. The world has already been overcome by screams >

 

< It stands straight in the face of adversity >

 

< [Trumpet’s Call] >

 

<> [Promise of Paradise] <>

 

The hilt of the spear was slammed into the earth.

It did not touch the ground, and yet the bricks crumbled under its immense weight. Pale particles surrounded the length of the lands, twisting around its already spiraling make to the tip where it shone the brightest.

Finally, it threw itself forward in utter silence as the screams of the Markers surrounded them both. Frost allowed herself to be punctured by the spear, thinking little of its measly power.

Pure offense was all she needed in this moment. So long as she could physically touch it, then she’d have access to mana and HP.

However –

Her eyes widened as she felt a sharp pain radiate from her right arm. Red blood gushed from her wound as she realized that the spear had cleanly penetrated through her body regardless of her DEF stats.

“What… is that spear…?”

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

 

< CONDITION: Weapons of the Apostles will ignore all DEF stats regardless of Conditions, Effects, Skills, Corrupted Skills, and Corrupted Zones within Paradise Found >

“You could’ve warned me earlier!” Frost tore herself free from the spear which ate at her arm.

Even clasping on it removed the skin from her hands as she quickly healed herself and struck it while it was still embedded into her. It was nearly identical to her own maw in the way it erased whatever it touched.

No matter how mighty her swings were the Apostle did not budge. No matter how much pain Frost had caused it to endure, it was a Corrupted, so it was all for naught. Its HP collapsed quickly as she used [Fine Line] and [Solemn Counter] to weave past its relentless sweeps, ducking, jumping and even somersaulting over its body.

She flipped onto its head, a hand holding her upright as she came crashing down to deliver the final blow to The First Apostle. Its body trembled as its wings shriveled up until they were bony remains.

The First Apostle | HP: 0

Its armor was still mostly intact despite how much she had struck it. The levitation disappeared and it crashed into the ground, standing straight with unending loyalty to the Icon of Judgement as its spear floated beside him.

 

< “Was it worth it?” The Apostle asked himself >

 

< It was impossible to tell. It remembered when it began and when it ended. When it ended and when it began >

 

The dark brown eyes were only thing that gave it some similarity to a human. Why did they seem so familiar to Frost?

< [Pallid Regrets] >

 

< “Thee will be the first of many. One thousand good deeds will keep the One Sin away.” >

 

His form condensed as if a black hole had formed within him.

< “Thee shall elevate and be reborn. The Sin that drives man will be cast away in the new world along with disease and rot of the flesh.” >

< [Salvation] >

The wingbeat of the Icon of Judgement passed.

A single, golden slice of apple was born from the collapsed Apostle. Surrounding it were a series of veins and arteries, exposed without the pale shell that the Markers possessed.

 

< “Expose the Sins on thy ribcage. Most merciful Salvation shall be enacted.” >

 

Frost did not waste any time and rushed to pluck the slice of apple, devouring it greedily with a single gulp, and slurping the veins and arteries like thorny noodles.

“Gah… Hey… We have eleven more to go, right?” Frost ventured a guess that there were twelve in total to match the wings of the Icon of Judgement.

As she said this, she felt the same strange surge of power from before. But she still couldn’t put her finger on what it was.

 

< That is correct. There are twelve Apostles of the Icon of Judgement >

 

< After having eaten one hundred One Sins, I have determined that should be impossible >

 

“So this thing is giving me new powers?”

< It is unclear what it is even to me. But if we pull the context of the Black Forest into here, then it is possible that it is similar to the Eyes of Judgement >

 

“How do you know that much about me!?”

< “You shall know in time when you return to the Nexus >

 

< As for now – here are your new Conditions >

 

< SPECIAL SUBJUGATION REQUIREMENT: Judge the Apostles to Bring Forth The Weapons To Enact Salvation >

 

< SPECIAL SUBJUGATION REQUIREMENT: Enact Salvation >

 

< The Icon of Judgement is indifferent to the suffering >

 

< It believes that it is just for the sake of creating a perfect paradise >

 

< “Many must suffer for the sake of my Kingdom. One’s hell will be the paradise of another. Heaven and Hell came before me. I shall descend to make the difference ever clearer.” >

 

An alternate route opened for Frost all thanks to the fruits she had been eating. She looked down at herself, then sought her surroundings for something to reflect her appearance. For some reason, not even her floating eyes could see her form.

Was this the doing of Dark Memoria?

Regardless of this, Frost turned her attention to the Markers of a Price of Paradise. Her goal now was to eat as many as she could until the next thing happened. Additionally, she had to destroy the next set of Apostles if she wanted to take the alternate route of dealing with the Icon of Judgement…

“… I don’t get it at all. Enact Salvation? This is where it stops making sense.” Frost’s murmurs went unheard as she began swiftly moving through the streets again. “A Paradise Lost Corrupted would have ten Corrupted Skills, if the Crowned is anything to go by. It goes from four to six and to eight. There must be ten.”

Only three Skills have been shown thus far.

And as she devoured another eight Markers, the fourth Corrupted Skill made its grand appearance.

< [Pale Reverence] >

 

A second wingbeat caused Frost to instinctively gaze upon the Icon of Judgement, her body frozen by overwhelming reverence. Parts of her fingertips turned pale, as did her hair as if she was rapidly aging.

“The Pale Web!?”

< You have been inflicted with 20 Stacks of Pale Web >

 

< At 1000 Stacks you will be susceptible to [Pallid Regrets] >

There was no method to remove it. Frost was sure that she was immune to it. However, it seemed that being directly afflicted with it from its originator bypassed her immunity. Thankfully it was something that could be reversed.

Because as she ate from another Marker, the Pale Web disappeared altogether, freeing her from the curse that she did not understand.

< [Serve Me, O’ Apostle!] >

Suddenly, a tear in space opened and from it came forth yet another Apostle. It crashed into a nearby manor, utterly destroying it. A being identical to the first emerged from the plume of dust, save that the figure was more feminine and possessed pale hair which was tied in a ponytail behind its helm.

A pair of sky-blue eyes glowed from within the visor. Like the previous Apostle, it floated just inches from the ground as a pair of pale wings sprouted from her upper back.

< “Outcast of worlds. Seeker of truth and peace. O’ Evelyn. Take old of my hand and thee will be given a most noble mission to elevate humankind.” >

 

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