Chapter 136: 137. Change of Heart

Nothing could stop them now. A kilometer climb was all that separated them from the brimming star. Leitmotif’s woes fell on deaf ears as Frost propelled everyone across the final stretch.

 

< [Shattered Dreams] >

 

< [Beaten Desires] >

 

< [Gushing!] >

 

The Dark clouds, the dreaded shockwaves, and the heart-manipulating attack only bolstered Frost’s drive. Involuntary spouts of shouted desires echoed along the cavern’s heights. Their voices were chaotic, but the passion they possessed drove their hearts forward.

“This is the end of your paradise! Climb, climb, CLIMB!” Cer shouted from within the safety of Frost’s nest, accompanied by Ber who followed with:

“Just like when Paradise was lost! Make this another Paradise Lost event! Make them pay!”

“No one deserves to keep suffering like this. Sana. The blind girl – Everyone – This underground complex of Hearts has no right to rob people of their own hearts!” Res clasped onto Sana’s hands, comforting the healer as the woman sobbed:

“I wanted to help them, but I couldn’t! I’m sorry! All my serums were gone! I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough!”

“Tch… 700 meters! EVERYONE! HIT THE STAR WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE!” Res led the charge as a brilliant array of magical attacks cut through the clouds.

Her beams drilled into the faraway ceiling, hailing them with debris as the meatballs of [Collective Leap] began to shoot upwards at them.

“NOT A CHANCE! WATCH US! YOU JUST KEEP DOING YOUR OWN THING AND LET US HANDLE THE FRONT!” Cer maniacally yelled, drunk on both the effects of [Gushing!] and the adrenaline of battle.

As deranged as her shout was, it managed to encourage Frost, causing her to break into a small grin.

The Touch of Golds wrapped them tightly, defending them from the hailing rock. A dozen were dedicated to the climb, which saw them thrust them forth with immeasurable speed whilst the rest created an umbrella on both polar ends.

One was to punch through the shadows and to block out the intensifying light, and the bottom was to prevent the meaty clumps from reaching them.

Particles of gold and black engulfed Sana to protect her from all forms of the Heart of Ours attacks. How she managed to make it this far was a miracle, and the triplets could not be any happier to see the healer alive.

But they were still not out of it yet.

“JURY! HOLD ONTO YOUR LOVER OR I’LL TAKE THAT LIBERTY FOR MYSELF!” Cer randomly exclaimed, causing Jury to suddenly latch onto Frost, embracing her from behind.

“No one is going to take your heart away from me! No one is allowed to interfere with our hearts! I’ll always be with you no matter what happens!” Jury gushed with her heart’s brimming desires.

I’m not the only thing you can gush about, you know?

“Her heart must be filled only with you. 400 meters left!”

 

“You do not know what you’re doing! Is this what you want!? This city won’t be the only one that will fall! You will shatter empires! Regions will become poisoned by your touch! It will all crumble because of YOU!”

 

Frost did not give him the privilege of hearing her voice. His desperation was unbelievably disgusting. By now the star had become so bright that the umbrella ahead caused the Touch of Golds to become slightly transparent, and her shaded hands to reveal the bones and veins hidden beneath.

Not even her eyelids could prevent the light from searing her eyes.

 

< [Aspirating Aspirations] >

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

 

Suddenly, their bodies convulsed. Frost’s heart rattled in her chest as their collective heartbeats pummeled her tentacles. A combined scream of anguish filled the air as Frost’s Touch of Golds subconsciously climbed, all the while they grasped at their hearts, battling their deepest, constricting desires.

Frost… Did not know what this compulsion was, however. No one screamed out theirs, but Jury and Res once again were affected the strongest judging by their highly unstable heartbeat. She held onto Jury’s slipping hands and kept her close.

Jury struggled to keep herself conscious.

“300 meters!”

 

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! STOP ALREADY! YOU MUST KNOW THAT… That We’ve already been seeded into the greatest civilizations across Elysia! To protect them from you! That city at the borders of Grandis and Brandar was destroyed because of you–!”

 

“THAT’S NOT TRUE!” Ignis suddenly hissed, her gentle voice hardly matching her enraged face.

The violent battles seemingly ceased, as if paying respect to Ignis. She never really spoke to begin with. Her heart was always sealed and only very small portions of it ever came to light. Frost knew little about Ignis as well, despite how close they seemed.

She even feared that Ignis held a grudge against her for failing to save her father.

However...

“They helped us… They helped me! I lost everything and hurt everyone around me in my despair! But she still stuck out her hand to try to save me and papa when no one else would!”

Ignis clutched onto Frost’s Touch of Golds, then, she reached for Frost’s hand and clasped it with all her might.

“The Impuritas – You monster – You took it all away! The people I watched from my window… The people who were turned to blobs and walls… The parents couldn’t recognize their children because of you! I became a blob and cried that papa would never take a monster into his arms! But he did… Papa… Papa was always the kindest!”

Frost saw a glimpse of what Ignis aspired. She was taken back to their train trip on the way to the Golden Index. That night where Ignis questioned her about her future. Her purpose after having lost everything.

“No one has to lose everything because of your selfish wish! I promise I’ll find every single one of your nests in every kingdom and uproot you! No one… NO ONE… No one…”

Ignis began shedding tears, her voice becoming bitterly hoarse as the memories of her lost home came washed over her.

“No one deserves to lose everything. What did they do to deserve it? What did papa do to deserve becoming a Corrupted?”

Ignis’ words were relinquishing. She was the first to emerge free from the effects of [Aspirating Aspirations], followed by the triplets save for Res, then Ponea. Sana was hardly affected in the first place. Her aspirations were cemented firmly as a healer.

[Aspirating Aspirations]… This isn’t like the others. It sounds like it’s amplifying their desires.

“It explains Sana’s resistance, since healers lack an aspiration to go beyond what they are, therefore, they cannot be suffocated by it.”

… I’m worried about Jury and Res.

“Perhaps just like Cer and the Greed Counter, this Corrupted must resonate deeply with them. In all likelihood, they will become Determined given enough time.”

I’m hoping for it. But it’ll be better if we can kill Leitmotif and the Heart of Ours in one fell swoop.

“Precisely. 100 meters!”

 

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