Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)

655. The Dynamics of War

Introductions were kept brief.

Lailah’s introduction was no more than the simple blurb of:

“I am the Archetype of the Floor of Ego. Speak to me with your heart, not with rationality or the mind. That way I can interpret your thoughts more accurately. While it was the Amalgam that issued the summoning order, it was I that delivered the message. That should be enough proof of my standing.”

The Beholders were neither impressed nor shocked by this fact. By now they knew to expect the Archetypes to be the source of all abnormalities within the Nexus. The Exalted on the other hand were taken aback by this power.

Frost placed a hand onto the table and began.

“The only rule of my Summit is that there will be no conflict. This is to remain informal. Speak as you wish. My Stars, Moons and Black Wings will bear witness to all outcomes of the Summit.”

“An Isolation Sphere will be keeping Relative Time at minus 10x to Universal Time.” Jury added. “As you are aware, the Amalgam has probed Paradise and Grandis by extension. There is significant Impuritas presence that we are looking to eliminate.”

“Umbra. Galia. You two will be in the firing line. Umbra. Your Iron Stars know the Memento Mori on a personal level. Galia. You know exactly what’s happening in Grandis right now. The evacuation of the 1st Branch is obviously linked to why the northern part of Grandis is inaccessible.”

Frost and Jury did not restrain themselves.

They frontloaded the Summit. With the entire Nexus as witness to the Summit, they needed to draw out these answers into the light.

Only then could they craft a cohesive plan.

Frost still had not yet finished in Grandis. The Bellum Empire was still a major point of interest. But the revelation that the Broken Thorn were the driving force behind Puritas’ regime, and the sudden instability of northern Grandis greatly concerned her.

“Something massive is brewing in Grandis. All the signs point to you two bearing knowledge of this. The fact that neither of us were informed and that I had to personally find this brings your allegiance to the Nexus into question.”

Frost’s calm demeanor did not change. The Beholders carried the same sentiment to varying degrees, whereas the Exalted were genuinely surprised by this development. They kept their mouths shut in the meantime, understanding that they were mostly here as an audience than to interact.

“But I’m not here to ask you to vindicate yourselves. We’re here as a collective to put an end to the Impuritas. I believe we have an opportunity on our hands.”

Galia, after a moment of deliberation, finally spoke.

“You are correct. One of Marionette’s predictions was the consolidation of power by the Impuritas. It was always a question of where. We had no certainty.” Galia answered truthfully. “My 1st Branch is one of many Atelier locations that have been overwhelmed. But I can also admit that it was the Memento Mori’s presence that pushed us back, no doubt by the aid of the Broken Thorn.”

“Meaning Uriel’s behind this?” Frost asked.

“Oh Uruiel.” Satania lightly giggled. “Ahh. Her involvement is a certainty. That thing wouldn’t miss out on the chance to degrade the empire of a traitor. I can see her being petty enough to set something up on top of the 1st Branch.”

“The question is – What are they doing there?” Descartes wondered. “… Strange. Northern Grandis is not a location Impuritas tend to tread.”

“The Corpse Snatchers have always existed in Grandis. Devouring, cleaning, sweeping through its lands for material. They are synonyms with the force of nature.” Umbra answered. “All in an attempt to preserve life to its fullest. How miserable. Dying things decay. Amalgam. My chains are there because they have been stolen. I know of this Uriel. I have battled her once. I know that she can break my chains to bring forth a gush of nightmares from the Subcut. And if not, then she can transform the living into Angels of blood.”

Umbra explained that her technology’s involvement did not immediately mean that she was responsible, let alone directly involved. She understood why Frost doubted her, but it still saddened her that she was not wholeheartedly trusted yet.

She sunk into her seat, lapping her jagged teeth.

“Angels and Demons are not so different, but we as Demons tend to be seen as the lesser evil. I don’t see the correlation between the Red Wing and the Memento Mori’s schemes in the North. Unless that scheme involved someone else.”

Only one person came to mind in that instant.

“Iscario.” Frost nearly refused to utter his accursed name.

“It could be Iscario.” Jury said.

“The Fallen Star.” Satania smirked.

“Our traitor.” Galia hummed.

“The weird guy.” Enoch nodded.

“This occurring in Grandis makes sense after all.” Descartes mumbled. “What I don’t understand is why we are only learning about this now.”

“As I said, we were uncertain. Knalzark may despise me, but he would agree on my understand of the dynamics of war.”

Galia went into lengths to explain how Marionette was uncertain due to the Sect of Gears’ interference and her limited use of Actors. This was ultimately Frost’s fault in her attempt to reduce as much suffering as possible.

She then began to run her finger along the surface of the table. The Star Child clicked her fingers, allowing light to trace after her drawing. What was shown was a rough map of Grandis, with key locations where the hint of ‘Consolidation of Power’ were likely to be.

They were all locations of felled Atelier Branches and major cities, many of which being located outside of Grandis. If there was a place to harness as much material as possible, then it would be outside of Grandis. Grandis was so drained of life that there was no strategic advantage for the Impuritas, who required biomass to function at all.

But there were two major oversights.

Grandis was Iscario’s homeland, and it never occurred to them that the Memento Mori had been consolidating power through the collection of corpses for centuries.

“If we sent a large force to the wrong location, then we’d open up other routes for a counterattack. If we send in a small force to probe for answers, then they’d have ample time to prepare for an offensive. We lose the first-strike advantage. The arrival of Beholder Umbra’s Ark has likely already alerted them.”

This was the unfortunate takeaway. They were likely already prepared to fight. If they were absolutely certain that this was the location – which Frost did – then they could levy an immense attack force.

Multiple Hearts of City would be trampled over.

“Beholders tend to be arrogant when it comes to warfare. I exploited Knalzark’s certainty to move him along Elysia to my whims and struck him where he could not defend.” Galia did not boast. She stated this as a matter of factly. “War is not about who has the most information, or whose men are most willing to die. Assume that you know nothing. I brought down Caldera Industries by acting on what Knazlark did not know, not what I knew.”

“In that light, it might be possible that they don’t know that we know where they are… How convoluted.” Umbra stuck her tongue out, whilst Satania reveled in Galia’s philosophy of war. “It’s better to assume that they are expecting us now. The arrival of my Ark does us no favors… but it could be a silver lining.”

“A large-scale attack can work. Just don’t funnel into one avenue.” Satania warned. “Otherwise, you end up getting a repeat of what happened in C3 and C4. So many Scarlet Logic personnel were wiped out by magical artillery before they ever had a chance to fight. Moons and Star. Even if we know where they are, heading straight in without a plan will lead to unneeded casualties. We are only just gaining new Moons.”

“That’s why we’re here. To figure out a way to deal with them. We don’t know how large their force is or what their defenses are like. The ImpulseWorks way is to send as many people as possible in until the problem solves itself, but if they need biomass… then shouldn’t the Bellum Empire be major point of concern?”

Enoch tapped on two key areas that connected the Bellum Empire with the North and central Grandis. One was Smuggler’s path, and the other was a northern wall that separated their coastal plains.

“It feels like they’re just ripe for the picking. Strange how such a large empire exists when the rest of Grandis struggles to secure resources, and crams tens of thousands into isolated cities.”

Enoch huffed the air, and Lunaria did the same.

“Smells like an apocalypse in the making.”

“Lunaria believes that the Bellum Empire exists in abeyance.”

An entire empire existing for the sole purpose of being harvested never came across Frost’s mind. It happened to Paradise before. Why couldn’t it happen again? Realizing that the Bellum Empire may be their key to preventing the fruition of their plans, Frost drew a circle around the Bellum Empire.

“We can set defenses there. I’m not sure how they’ll respond to us trespassing on their soil. Especially if they do have ties to the Impuritas. But that’s something our Exalted excel at. Both we and the Impuritas are in a state of uncertainty… From what we now understand, the Bellum Empire is our gauge. The moment they try to harvest it is when they’re ready.”

“I can depart. Immediately.” Abadona’s voice was like that of churning rocks and chiming crystals. “I only need to be careful of the Patrons of the Highways. I will no doubt be recorded as a Corrupted.”

“What about the Ark? What can that do for us?” Frost moved back to the mysterious cube that landed ashore.

“My Ark of the Covenant contains secrets kept away even from me. You will have to consult my Iron Star; Moses.”

“That’s the Star that knew Hypnos.” Frost glared.

“Please do not suspect them. I even know the names of many Memento Mori. Moses is as true to my philosophies as I am. That Stars and Glimmers are things that should remain untouched, only to be watched from affair… speaking of which. Would she be allowed entry into this place?”

A presence could be felt behold the sealed doors. Frost eventually raised her hand to allow it. The door opened at her command, revealing a purple-haired woman wrapped in darkness.

Lunaria instinctively held her breath, as if breathing the same air as this entity would poison her.

“Months of voyaging through the bleakest sea…”

She entered the chamber, her head held high as she stared at the innumerable stars above.

“Following trails to no end…”

Then, she set her sights onto Frost and only Frost.

“Until one day, we saw the light show us the way. Drawn like moths to a flame, we eventually arrived on the shores of this land. Your appearance does not disappoint. The traces of gold, the light of a Star… the voyage was worthwhile after all.”