612. One Way Ticket to Heaven

Name：Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story) Author：
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612. One Way Ticket to Heaven

She felt powerful, but her stats did not reflect any change in strength. However, she was able to sense the faint heartbeats of countless still within the ruins of Paradise. Her eyes stung, and strands of her hair burned with a golden light, shining like a beacon to those lost souls.

“I can feel them. A dull throb from out there. It’s like I have nerves spread all over the city. It’s just heartbeats and small murmurs. Small desire spoken like a whisper. Hey Voice. Can you tell me what the effect of this Ability is?”

< I cannot say for certain >

< But I presume that you can sense the ‘One Sin’ inside of all >

“... even the Corrupted?”

Frost could see a faint glimmer of light emanating from only Elysia. Except that light was tainted by a dark fog. The heartbeat of the Icon of Judgement throbbed like thunderous murmurs.

< Unknown >

< But I advise that you hold onto it dearly >

There was more Frost wanted to say and ask. But the moment she opened her mouth was when she was faced with death itself. She saw it for only a split second before her body was thrown back by a powerful gale.

Elysia had appeared right in front of her. The black spear was pointed at where Frost was once was. The only reason why she survived was because of a pale spear that intercepted the attack.

It belonged to Lailah.

Frost wanted to ask why, but she knew better than to reason with a Corrupted. Elysia’s golden eyes that stared back at her behind that pale visor were proof of this. Only hunger and desperation fueled Elysia’s desire to impale both her and the Princess.

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

< The Icon of Judgement has recognized you as the One Marked by Judgement >

< A wing extends to invite you into its sacred garden >

< UNIQUE ABILITY GAINED >

< ABILITY: Mark of Judgement >

< One Way Ticket to Heaven >

< CONDITION: The death of the One Marked by Judgement will fulfill the Suppression Criteria >

< This means that if either you or the Princess dies then it will also fulfil the Subjugation requirement of enacting [Penance] >

< You must not die >

Despite this, the girl still tried to reach for the apple. Frost focused on preserving their life as she sunk a hand into the ground and inched her way towards the bright light of the garden.

“Almost there... Listen to me! And listen close! I know what you want to do!”

“And I have to do it!”

The girl retorted as their voices fought against the roaring winds.

“But I can’t let you or else nothing is going to change!”

“It will! I know it will! Because I took what was forbidden! We’re all being punished because of me!”

“They were all being punished before you bit into that apple!”

“You don’t understand! No one understands! I never bit into it!”

Frost’s mouth parted but no words came out. The story of the Price of Paradise revolved around the apple that the Princess had eaten. A part of Frost suspected that it was never the Princess. More than that, she believed that Iscario was the one who bit into it all along.

“Then was it Iscario!?”

“He... He could never! Because I was there when it happened! I...!”

Her fingertips touched the surface of the apple as they neared the gates of the Garden. With only a few meters remaining, the girl, with glowing eyes, stared up at the Icon of Judgement and lamented with a bloodcurdling scream.

“I’M THE ONE WHO BROUGHT THEM APPLE IN THE FIRST PLACE!”

One last blast of air threw them into the blinding light.

Everything was silent like time had ceased moving.

All forms of sensation were lost.

Everything was a homogenous white light.

“Why do people look up to Stars?”

A voice familiar to Frost asked.

This voice belonged to Michaela.

“Because they’re something we want to reach. Hello!”

Another one that belonged to a child responded.

It was identical to the Princesses’.

“It doesn’t look comfortable in there. Are you ok? I have something I can give you if you’re hungry.”

The white eventually turned dark. Countless dots of light filled that darkness like stars in the night sky.

A hand reached out to a feathery being wrapped up in silky wings.

And in the palm of that tiny hand was but a humble golden apple.