Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)

“Wrath Corrupted to presumably play the role of the villain. As for Attachment, we both know the tale of little red and the big bad wolf. But I don’t believe that can be called an obsession as much as it is vengeance.”

“Depends on how you look at it. But I agree with you for the most part. I’m not that obsessed with Iscario. Just wanna–”

Frost became silent all of a sudden. Her ears twitched to the sound of sifting stone, and she instantly responded. Her hand reached into her [Dimensional Storage] and retrieved De Jure Sanguinis. Black liquid then poured from a tool held in her other hand – Amorphos – forming a sniper scope that mounted her oversized rifle.

Her instincts were honed to the point where she could detect movement several kilometers away. She had also sensed unnatural vibrations in the waterways. Of course, this was sensed using [Foresight], meaning she had used evidence that did not exist to track down her target.

“Frost? What is wrong?”

“I’m picking up movement. Elevated. Must be watching me.”

The scope scanned the open rooftops in the distance. Because of the way the city was arranged, it was like threading a needle.

Who else was here? A few names came to mind. Namely, Cer could have arrived to assist her out a recommendation from Galia, but that couldn’t be true because she was not informed about this.

Another possibility was a Clot, but she had not seen a single Clot yet despite the Capital being the most densely populated city in the Latin Empire.

Additionally, the ripples she sensed were far too rhythmic and reserved to belong to a Clot. Whoever was here, they were likely trying to keep a low profile.

And then–

“Is that… me?”

–she was met with a near splitting image of herself, only that the figure was smaller, and carried red hair and eyes.

Frost lowered her weapon in utter disbelief.

“Woah… Neither Sin nor Wai. Nav, where are the Alter Frosts right now? And my Aspects?”

She required a rundown immediately. Giddiness filled her voice, and her ears flapped happily alongside her tail. It was incredibly rare for her to come across another Frost. In fact, this would be the first time she would be meeting one in the wild.

Acedia didn’t count, since she was domesticated before they met.

“Hm~ Can you believe it Nav? Here? Of all places? Gosh, what do I even say?” Frost could barely contain her jubilance. “Gosh? Aha. Is this even me? What are the chances? Larin Empire, same time…”

Frost’s tone dropped by several pitches as her eyes dangerously narrowed.

“… Bullshit. Nav. Any idea what the fuck is going on?”

There was no such thing as a coincidence.

Frost had learned that the hard way more times than she could count.

< Frost Gestalt Network Status >

< Mini Frost: Chilling with Snap >

< Medium Frost: Pampered by the Mothers >

< Big Frost/Hired Arm | Sin: Currently in Emvita >

< White Frost/Taleor | Wai: Currently in Emvita >

< Cognita: With the villagers >

< Acedia: At the Acedia Branch Headquarters with the team leader Azazel >

< None are currently in your vicinity >

“So what the fuck am I looking at?”

“You’re too far away to identify it. It could easily be a Librarian. But doesn’t it remind you of the one other Frost in the Eternal Library?”

Frost’s eyes lit up. The hideous rage that threatened to spill over disappeared with a nod.

“The Red Avenger?”

“I believe so. Ah! Lailah is sending me a message–!”

Nav’s voice scrambled. A heavy thwack ripped through the air as the earth deformed beneath Frost. She moved her head at the last possible second, barely avoiding a bullet that would have taken out a reasonably large chunk of her HP.

Seconds later, the crack of thunder came in the direction of the girl.

That amount of firepower was impressive.

Delight filled her eyes as she tracked the figure through the smoke, drawing her weapon again.

“Nav, I really don’t want to kill something that may or may not be another Aspect of Amalgamation. Get Lailah on the line before I blow its head clean off its shoulders.”

Lailah

< Frost >

“I assume you know something about this girl I have in my crosshairs?”

Lailah

< That I do. However, she is not currently in a state where I can actively assist her >

< Please understand that it is imperative that you do not kill her too quickly >

“Why is that?” Frost prepared to shoot.

< So that she does not need to hate you more than she needs to >

Lailah remained intentionally cryptic. However, it was enough for Frost to come to several key conclusions. The first was that since Lailah could communicate with the red-haired version of herself, this meant that they had a Crystalized Ego and were likely Blessed.

Therefore, they could not be an imitation.

“Can’t I just talk to her then? What’s the point of shooting first and asking questions later? Aren’t we on the same side?”

Lailah

< I apologize. But there are things that this one must learn on their own. I have led them to you so that you can, hopefully, assist in ending their insanity >

< Her Emotional State must elevate to a sufficient level before she can be struck down >

< I will send Nav the Conditions >

< Think of it a way to bond with her >

Lailah disappeared abruptly, leaving Frost to call out her name.

“Hey, HEY! Lailah!? LAILAH!? Agh… That simplifies things. But would it fucking hurt you to tell me that another Frost existed earlier!?”

Frost’s shout produced a shockwave that cleared the cloud of debris around her, giving her a clear line of sight of the girl. The girl’s back was turned to her, as though she had concluded that her shot had hit its mark.

She couldn’t be more wrong.

… Shooting another me doesn’t feel right. Another Aspect of Amalgamation. Is true, Nav?

“Lailah does not lie, even though her name rhymes with it.”

… Insanity, she said. I can’t confirm it. And a part of me doesn’t want to take her words at face value, but we’re Archetypes. If this Aspect of Amalgamation needs help, then I’m happy to provide it in any way I can. It’s just that…

“Frost. Like Lailah said, why not treat it as a way to bond with her?”

A fucking shootout?

“You’ll never know.”

Frost should have despised the idea.

However, the very idea of a shootout had her blood boiling with an excitement she had rarely tapped into before. This was because she had never faced another opponent with the same shooting capabilities as herself. Often, it was a one-sided massacre.

She peered at the crater left behind her, and a grin began forming on her face.

Why not treat her as your daughter?

“I have a daughter already.”

But you can have two.

“… You know what, why not? Acedia considers me her mother. If I can treat her like a daughter, then, maybe she’ll warm up to me faster. I dunno. Lailah reckons she’s dealing with insanity, and apparently the only cure is to finish her off when her Emotional State rises high enough.”

Frost then dropped her aim to the base of the building the girl was standing on, and she fired an extraordinarily powerful bullet. It pulverized the foundations and created a miniature vacuum that sucked in surrounding structures. The building did not stand a chance, and it collapsed into itself in an almost comical manner.

She did not realize that a warm, motherly smile was plastered across her face.

A deceptive smile that mothers often wore before giving their child a core memory in the form of a beatdown. Then, with a sickly-sweet voice, she cooed–

“You shouldn’t have shot at me, dear.”

–And then cycled another round into De Jure Sanguinis.