Chapter 12: Soul Frame Nexus Core.

Adam POV

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“Oh, damn. Really?” I muttered, halting mid-step.

“Dona,” I called out, gripping her hand as she steadied her staff. The landscape around us had shifted from rocky terrain to an area with patches of vegetation, the scent of damp earth filling the air.

She turned back with a sweet yet concerned expression. “Is something wrong?”

I hesitated before shrugging. “Something’s wrong with my Nexus Core. Can I take a moment to check it out?”

She tilted her head, her golden locks catching the light. “What’s wrong? Do you feel unwell?”

“Something like that,” I replied vaguely.

Dona nodded, giving me a reassuring pat on my head before I sat down. “Take your time.”

I took a deep breath. Alright, Nove, the stage is yours.

The world around me blurred as my consciousness wavered. Darkness enveloped me, and I felt like I was falling into an infinite void. Tiny star-like twinkles dotted the space around me, and at the center, a small golden solar system spun, its glow radiating warmth. Four orbs rotated around Nove’s central form—a dirt, a stone, the caelum lapis (Alper’s original core), and the chaos node, pulsed faintly with energy.

“Nove, how do I even check on the other Core Nexus?” I asked, my voice echoing through the void.

The golden orb at the center pulsed with her calm, familiar voice. “It is behind you, Alper.”

I turned, and sure enough, in the shadows beyond Nove’s radiant glow, a second Core Nexus floated silently. It looked like a rugged, dark boulder with a rough, craggy surface. Every few seconds, a pure white energy pulsed outward from its core, like the heartbeat of a sleeping giant.

“Okay… uh, now what?” I scratched my head, unsure. “Do I talk to it? Tap it? What’s the procedure here?”

Nove’s golden light flickered slightly as she responded. “Until it awakens on its own, no interaction or commands can be initiated.”

I crossed my arms, eyeing the dormant core curiously. “Honestly, I thought it’d take way longer for this thing to awaken. Isn’t this, like, super fast?”

"It's because I've been feeding it materials so it could awaken as soon as possible," Nove explained, her tone calm but firm.

"Uh huh… I see," I replied, trying to act like this was all perfectly normal and not completely freaking me out.

As I watched, the other core began to pulsate faster, its rhythm intensifying until it looked like it might explode. "Nove," I called out, my voice wavering slightly, "I'm kinda getting scared right now."

Before Nove could respond, the core detonated with a thunderous boom. A shockwave tore through the dark cosmic space, the black void giving way to an overwhelming brightness. The sky transformed, flooding the entire area with a blinding light.

"Warning! Connection with host deteriorating!" Nove's voice crackled urgently in my mind.

"Nove!?" I shouted, spinning around to find her. But before I could react, she was hurled away from her place in the center of the cosmic sub-space. Her golden glow dimmed as she disappeared into the expanding light.

For a split second, a glitchy window flickered before my eyes:

W̴A̷R̸N̸I̷N̷G̶ ̴C̸O̸N̷N̴E̶C̶T̸I̷O̵N̵ ̴W̸I̵T̷H̷ ̷H̴O̶S̴T̴ ̷L̴O̴S̷T̴!

And then, the ground beneath my feet vanished. The familiar sensation of falling took hold, and when I looked down, the dark void had been replaced by an endless ocean, its surface as still and reflective as glass. Above me, a brilliant blue sky stretched infinitely, devoid of clouds or life.

I froze. Wait a second... isn’t this…?

Recognition hit me like a ton of bricks. This was the place I came to after I died. The serene yet unsettling space where that so-called goddess had sent me to this world.

“… Did I die again?” I muttered, scratching my head in disbelief. "Well, this is awkward." I glanced around nervously. "Uhh… is it too late to apologize for punching your face?" I mumbled, half expecting her to materialize and punch me in the face.

But the goddess didn’t appear. No smug quips. No lectures. Just silence.

"What the hell is going on?" I grumbled, my voice echoing in the eerie stillness. "Am I dead or alive? Pick a lane, universe!"

I tried walking across the endless ocean, my footsteps leaving faint ripples, but nothing changed. The same vast emptiness stretched on, unyielding and unnerving.

Then, out of nowhere, a sharp cracking sound broke the silence. It was the sound of glass shattering.

“What in the god—" I started, turning toward the noise, but my words caught in my throat.

In front of me, the space itself fractured like a fragile mirror, jagged lines spreading across the air. The cracks grew wider until, with a resounding crash, the space shattered completely. From the void emerged a glowing orb, pristine white with an iridescent shimmer that seemed to shift colors as it moved. Around the larger orb floated a smaller, radiant sphere, its motion slow and deliberate. And an even smaller transparent orb was orbiting the smaller radiant sphere like a satellite.

"Okay..." I muttered, staring at the orb with both curiosity and unease. "Is it supposed to do something to me, or...?"

I tilted my head, inspecting the glowing sphere like it was a puzzle I was determined to solve. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. "Wait, wait, wait… Is that... my other Nexus Core?" I blurted out, taking a hesitant step forward.

Unlike Nove’s golden, radiant vibe, this orb had an aura that was both divine and disturbingly repulsive. It was as if the core itself was daring me to come closer while every fiber of my being screamed at me to stay back. It wasn’t just an orb—it was an experience.

I cautiously circled around it, my eyes scanning every angle as if it might suddenly sprout arms or do something dramatic. The closer I got, the more I felt the pull of its strange power, coupled with an instinctive fear that gnawed at the edge of my soul.

"Am I... is this the Nexus Core area of my other Nexus Core?" I mumbled, half to myself, half to no one in particular. The realization settled in: every core must have its own distinct vibe, its own space. This one’s was a stark contrast to Nove’s.

"Okay, so Alper’s Core Nexus area had, like, outer space... stars, celestial glamor, you know, the works." I glanced around at the boundless blue sky and the still ocean beneath my feet. "And mine's just... emptiness? Just me, a vast ocean, and a blue sky with clouds? Feels a bit budget version of cool," I added, scrunching my nose. But there was something comforting about it too, like stepping into a dream you didn’t know you needed.

Still, I couldn’t shake the thought. "Outer space is definitely cooler, though," I muttered under my breath, "but this... yeah, this feels oddly nice."

I remembered Nove’s advice: Focus on the orb if you want it to reveal anything. So, following her guidance, I closed my eyes, let out a deep breath, and focused all my attention on the orb. I decided to give it a bit of flair.

"Show me thy status," I commanded with mock grandeur, imagining a stats window popping up like in a video game.

Moments later, I wasn’t disappointed. A large glowing window materialized in front of me.

S̷͇͖͒̾ŏ̸̘u̶͉͉̎̏͘l̴͓̩͆͒ ̸͍̥̇̈́́͜f̴̲͍̅r̶͙͙̈́a̸̡̼͒̽̊m̶͙̀e̴̺̓ ̶̛̜̤̪̕N̷̰̼̲̒̇̀e̶̦̙̒̌̃x̶̉̋͜͠u̵̙̹͇͐̇̚s̸̝̖̩̾̓ ̸̪͙̑̇C̴̨̠̮̏o̷̺͔̱̊̒ŕ̶͖́ě̷͈͐ (*̶͈͎̿͌̔/̶͓̫̀̅*̸̧̞͈̀̔ ̷̙͎̎S̶̡̔̊t̸̡̬̲͌à̶̠́r̴̦̤͕̿ ̷̡̀r̴̻̂͝ǎ̸͚̗̭̃t̸̫̏ị̸̛̠́͌͜n̸̙͛͗͠g̸̥̖͑):

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

* Description:

An Otherworld Core nexus the defies the laws of this world.

Instead of eating metals or materials of this world, it eats the Nexus cores of other people to evolve and can wield their abilities.

Note: This Nexus Core cannot devolve into a base Nexus core.

"Excuse me?" I muttered, squinting at the glitched-out text on the status window. Some of the words looked like they’d been ripped straight from a broken computer screen, flickering ominously as if they didn’t quite belong.

A chill ran down my spine. “Why does it look like this?” I whispered to myself, a mix of confusion and unease bubbling up. This wasn’t like anything I’d seen before. And then my eyes landed on the part that shook me to my core—it eats other Nexus Cores.

“What the hell kind of monster did I just wake up?” I wondered aloud, my voice a little more panicked than I’d intended.

Despite the unease gnawing at me, I couldn’t jump to conclusions yet. I needed Nove’s insight. She’d know what to make of this—or at least offer some kind of explanation. But reconnecting with her wasn’t an option until I figured out whatever was going on with this... thing.

I then read the rest of the stats window.

* Evolution:

* C̴̞͋̎o̴̝͓͌̃r̷̖͉̽̈̓e̴͓̻̖̍̀̌ ̷̻̦̊̐̕N̷̩̥̏̑o̵̻͝d̵̗͋̄e̶̳̐́̑s̵͍̯̄:̵̭̘͠ (1/1 slot)

1. Base Core Frame – 0/1 Nexus core Slot.

Equipped Nexus Core: N/A

Attributes: +3 to the user's strength, agility, endurance and vitality when active.

Cost: 2 NEP per second

* Abilities:

Core Frames: This Nexus core functions by replacing Core nodes with revolving Core Frames, resembling dynamic living armors. These frames grant users abilities derived from absorbed Nexus cores. The quantity of frames and the Nexus cores they can utilize depends on the evolution of the Soul frame's Core.

2. Nexus Cores: Nexus cores can be processed into evolution material for the Soul Frame or be used as a Nexus core for frames.

?̸̖́̈̎?̴̢́̿͛?̴́̽ͅͅ?̸̻͕̣͑̀̈́?̴̳̲̰͘?̷̳͖̹̑͋?̴̯̦̳̂̋?̶̥͖̐͝?̸̛̫̺͋?̸̘̈́͒?̵̼͕͒̚͘?̷̞͠͝ ?̴̯̦̳̂̋?̶̥͖̐͝?̸̛̫̺͋?̸̘̈́͒?̵̼͕͒̚͘?̷̞͠͝ ?̸̻͕̣͑̀̈́?̴̳̲̰͘?̷̳͖̹̑͋?̴̯̦̳̂̋?̶̥͖̐͝?̸̛̫̺͋?̸̘̈́͒?̵̼͕͒̚͘

?̸̖́̈̎?̴̢́̿͛?̴́̽ͅͅ?̸̻͕̣͑̀̈́?̴̳̲̰͘?̷̳͖̹̑͋ ?̸̖́̈̎?̴̢́̿͛?̴́̽ͅͅ?̸̻͕̣͑̀̈́?̴̳̲̰͘?̷̳͖̹̑͋?̴̯̦̳̂̋?̶̥͖̐͝?̸̛̫̺͋?̸̘̈́͒?̵̼͕͒̚͘?̷̞͠͝

?̸̖́̈̎?̴̢́̿͛?̴́̽ͅͅ?̸̻͕̣͑̀̈́?̴̳̲̰͘?̷̳͖̹̑͋?̴̯̦̳̂̋?̶̥͖̐͝?̸̛̫̺͋?̸̘̈́͒?̵̼͕͒̚͘?̷̞͠͝ ?̸̖́̈̎?̴̢́̿͛?̴́̽ͅͅ?̸̻͕̣͑̀̈́?̴̳̲̰͘?̷̳͖̹̑͋?̴̯̦̳̂̋?̶̥͖̐͝?̸̛̫̺͋?̸̘̈́͒?̵̼͕͒̚͘?̷̞͠͝

* Stat benefits:

?̸̱̄̚͠ ?̸̱̄̚͠

Notes:

More information/abilities/frames will be unlocked per evolution

"Uh, hey God? Yeah, it's me again. Quick question: what is this madness?”

As I sifted through the chaos on the stats window, two things stood out like a neon sign in the middle of a blackout:

1. This core eats other Nexus Cores.

Why? How? No clue.

2. The core’s abilities revolve around granting me armor that mimics the powers of the Nexus Core it’s consumed.

“Wait a second,” I muttered, my pulse quickening. “Does this mean… I could literally wear powers?”

If my theory held up, this was absurdly overpowered—broken in the best way possible. Currently, the core had just one armor frame, a blank slate that was probably a placeholder until it consumed something. Naturally, I had to test it out.

I mentally activated the armor, and instantly my heart went into overdrive, pounding against my ribs like a war drum. A metallic cylindrical bag appeared out of thin air on my back with a quiet pop.

What happened next? Pure magic—or maybe pure sci-fi.

The bag hummed softly before opening with a hiss. Silvery steel plates emerged like they had minds of their own, swirling and clicking into place around me in a mesmerizing display. It was the ultimate suit-up moment, putting every superhero transformation scene I’d ever seen to shame.

The chest plate snapped into place with a satisfying clink, hugging me snugly but not uncomfortably. Mystical symbols, etched into the surface, glowed faintly with a kind of ancient energy that screamed power.

Then came the helmet. Oh, the helmet. Sleek and sharp, it slid over my head seamlessly, giving me the feel of an unstoppable warrior. The visor, intricately designed, allowed me to see everything clearly without any obstruction. It wasn’t just functional; it was beautiful in its craftsmanship.

The gauntlets followed, molding perfectly to my hands, engraved with fine runes that whispered of strength and resilience. Finally, the leggings clicked into place, completing the look. Each part of the armor felt custom-made, as if the core knew my body better than I did.

I stretched experimentally, half-expecting to feel the weight of the metal, but no—it moved with me effortlessly, like a second skin. “This... is insane,” I whispered, flexing my hands and watching the gauntlets respond instantly.

I know I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t help myself. I looked up at the vast blue expanse of the Nexus Core space and yelled at the top of my lungs:

"I'M FREAKING IRON MAN!"

This was the dream. The real deal. My wildest fantasies realized. The only thing missing was a Nexus Core with flight and laser abilities, and maybe a paint job in red and gold. Then I’d be set.

"This is officially the best day of my life!" I declared, striking dramatic poses as if I were starring in some bizarre adventure anime. A flurry of over-the-top stances later, my excitement finally began to simmer down. With a deep breath, I decided it was time to shelve my inner superhero and focus on the real issue at hand.

I had to reconnect with Nove. She was my lifeline—My Siri, My google assistant, My jarvis and my secret weapon all rolled into one. Without her, I felt like a fish out of water, and that wasn’t a good look for what I was planning on becoming.

"Alright, time to unequip this bad boy," I muttered, looking down at the sleek suit. "Uhh... log off?"

The world flickered, and my vision went black for a moment. I expected to return to the forest with Dona nearby, but when I blinked again, I found myself lying on an incredibly soft bed. The wooden ceiling above me had a rustic charm, and a dimly lit candle cast a warm glow, giving the room an unmistakably cozy vibe.

“Huh?” I muttered, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. This definitely wasn’t the forest. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and stood, taking in the surroundings. The window on the wall beckoned, so I peeked outside.

It was pitch dark.

"Wait a second..." I mumbled. "Wasn’t it morning just now?"

I turned back to the room, taking in every detail. It felt straight out of a medieval fantasy RPG—simple but comfortable. A bed, a cabinet, a trunk, a sturdy table with a chair, a small shelf with books, and even a potted plant to add a splash of greenery.

“Where the heck am I, and what’s going on?” I muttered, glancing around, trying to stay quiet. Just as I decided to investigate the room further, the voice I’d been waiting for chimed in.

"Connection re-established with the host."

“Nove!” I almost shouted, before slapping my hand over my mouth to keep myself quiet. “You scared the crap out of me! You said the connection was lost!”

“Alper, the awakening of your second core caused a surge that temporarily disrupted our connection,” she replied, as calm as ever.

“Huh? You weren’t, like… shut down or something?”

“No. I remained active.”

I blinked. “So, you were just… chilling, watching me spiral into chaos while I blacked out?”

“Precisely.”

As much as I wanted to be annoyed, it was actually a relief. I needed answers, and Nove was my best (and only) source. “Okay, so, what happened. We were in the forest with Dona, and now I'm here in this room, and its already nighttime?”

“You collapsed after losing connection with me,” Nove began. “Dona, was alarmed by your sudden condition and hurried in bringing you to a local doctor. They diagnosed you as comatose with no clear timeline for recovery.”

“Wait, wait, wait—please don’t tell me I’ve been out for years!” Panic bubbled in my chest.

“Precisely 16 hours have passed,” Nove reassured me.

“Oh, thank goodness,” I exhaled, relief washing over me. The last thing I need now is a time skip montage for myself.

“That said,” Nove continued, “This town, Hollow Field, is within the territory of our clan. At this hour, soldiers routinely patrol to ensure the town’s safety. Given your disappearance from the clan, it’s likely the patrol will conduct a thorough search, including this inn.”

I froze. “Huh?”

“It’s only a matter of time before they locate you and return you to the clan,” she said matter-of-factly.

...What?

I barely had time to process this bombshell when the clanking of armored boots echoed from outside the window. A large group was approaching, and they weren’t here for the local tavern special.

HOLY SHIT, IT’S THE FEDS! I AIN’T GOING BACK TO JAIL!