Chapter 113: 114. Peace was Never an Option

The Sect of Gears. Like Act X, Frost assumed they had some sort of connection with the Fate Mechanism. The string with no tangible origin all the proof she needed.

Frost’s sealed eyes opened and greeted this monstrosity with scorn.

The Sect of Gears and Act X.

The Crimson Hunger and the Scarlet Logic.

The Blood Festival and the Golden Index.

The similarities could no longer be ignored as Frost instantly scrutinized this being, causing them to shudder as she assessed the flame in its heart.

But there was no such flame to her shock. It was like a husk. A puppet, save that it was not the strings that dictated it like a marionette, but was rather operated by the subtle movements of its gears.

“Civilized? You? The Impuritas?” Frost did not match the civilized tone of this being. “You send murderous creatures to flood Brandar!” She motioned towards the aorta-looking structure and roared: “And you expect us to see eye to eye!?”

It was an enemy through and through, and without even saying another word, crackles of electricity radiated from her fellow companions. They were primed to kill it on sight.

Such a weak monster was but a grain of sand before them. It knew this, and instead, outstretched its arms like the wingspans of a bird as if surrendering.

“Your point is valid. The Sect resonates with your concerns. We do have a distaste of how these greedy animals disregard the precious life of potential followers.” The Attuned Messenger spoke cathartically, as if speaking from the soul.

A heavily religious aura encased it like armor, and it used it to deflect Frost’s question. It interpreted her words differently and spoke spitefully of the Blood Festival. Her feathers powerfully rustled, but she could no longer depend on it after the incident with the Bloody Herring.

Her gut was now her primary lie detector.

“Bullshit.” Ber spat, instantly taking center stage in this silent Showground. The light somehow focused a spotlight onto her, like this was some sort of play for the viewing pleasure of an omnipresent being. “The City of Strings is rife with you monsters. Froooost! Give me one reason why I shouldn’t shatter its faceless skull!?”

A radiant, blue light bled from her gauntlets as the Attuned Messenger dragged a finger along its chest, tracing over the gears within. Frost’s foresight did not detect an attack, but neither was she or the Moons about to let an Impuritas get the jump on them, even if it was merely motioning a finger.

An electric beam ripped the right upper portion of its body off the very moment its finger twirled. The creature did not shout or scream. It staggered backwards as the beam cleaved through one of the baroque-esque structures.

The faceless man did not bleed blood. Tiny red gears spilled in its place.

 

Attuned Messenger | HP: 3,000 | 4,500

 

The screams of the innocent melded with the laughter of the Organized monsters. The music sharply shifted, distorting as the still-standing Messenger recited:

“Uncouth Moons. When your parasitic rock devours the minds of people; and when the technologies of your rulers deprave people of their voice – they lose their purpose. We, the Sect of Gears, fill this cavity. Far better than your precious Anid doll –”

“BULLSHIT! Beholder Marionette is nothing like you monster!” Ber roared.

She swiped at the creature as the music began to crackle. Its legs were shredded, bursting it into metallic mist before they caught alight. A nearby carousel was quickly set ablaze by a flying leg.

 

Attuned Messenger | HP: 300

You are reading story Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story) at novel35.com

 

The creature never fell, however. It idly hung from a single thread as Frost slowly approached it, staring into where its eyes would be. She grabbed its limbless body, pulling it just low enough for the string to hover right in front of her face.

Frost was curious. This creature was on the verge of death, and yet it could not care less. It was purely driven by purpose, like a machine. Nav quickly mentioned something upon touching it.

 

< Attuned Messenger cannot be valued or bought >

 

She realized that directly touching the Impuritas was the trigger for the Language of Greed to take effect. But for some reason it didn’t work the same with regular people.

That being said: if the Sect of gears were dictated solely by the Fate Mechanism, whatever it truly was, then it made perfect sense as to why they’d be immune to this.

“Do you think you’re any different? You must have a Heart too. You know the tragedy they cause. You, the Ateliers… neither of you are going to sway me. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to do.” Frost growled deeply, bringing the string close to her mouth.

“Color. Do you know the extent of the tragedy caused by the Ateliers? Bird to bird – Seeker of self-realization; we would not exist if it were not for the Ateliers. What bubbles and boils above seeps down underneath.”

It echoed a similar phrase spoken by the Bloody Herring.

“I ask you to reconsider your stance. Fallen Moons. Do you wish to rise again? Color. Do you wish to fly?” It asked its final words before Frost severed the cord with a single bite.

She had heard enough. It perished immediately, like a machine which had its plug removed. She devoured the carcass, almost inhaling it with each bite as the music suddenly came to a screeching halt.

… why the fuck were my feathers rustling? Nav. Just what is the Nexus supposed to be?

“The celestial heavens. One that is used to protect Elysia from the Corrupted. The Impuritas appear to wish to destroy it.”

There is no way in hell a world where the Impuritas reign free will be any better than what it already is!

She did not receive an ability. Only its stats. The brickwork continued to tremble and split like a thousand independent mouths. Ber rapidly struck the ground preemptively as Res fired countless beams alongside her.

“Underground! Can you feel it!?” Res relayed.

“Hit them hard! W-woah! Stop moving so much!” Ber roared.

Frost’s foresight picked up an emergence of multiple Attuned Messengers. She rushed to one of them and, with a striking kick, obliterated the faceless head as it emerged. It perished before it could even leave and slipped back into the living ground where it was crushed by hidden teeth.

 

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