NOTE:-

Hey, I am actually following this novel. It’s a shitty novel. I only read it when I have nothing else to do, and honestly, to remind myself. Because that novel had so much potential, but the author just focused on fanservice. So I read it as a reminder... to never take that route. I want substance in my story. I am no professional...fuck, this is my first time writing anything however still, I need that raw story, with characters as deep as I can possibly take them.

Anyway, that’s not what I wanted to discuss. By the way, for context that shitty novel is doing way too good. He’s getting reviews, comments, people interacting with it on a whole another level... literally begging the author not to drop it. And recently, I just skimmed through the latest Chapters, and at the end, I saw his note.

also as i said he has crazy views. He’s getting gifts and all that.

And the author said maybe he’ll drop it... because it’s not as successful as he thought. Not getting as many gifts as he expected. I mean... what the fuck...Yeah, you probably guessed...I’m ranting, this is very spur of the moment god i am going to regret but here fuck it....

See, in the last Chapter, I also ranted a little...but I decided that was the last time. I’m done asking for anything. I’ll just focus on writing... and writing better. I won’t focus on things I can’t control.

However, after reading that... I started wondering...Am I just giving this more fuck than it deserves...like am I taking this more seriously than I should...fuck I don’t know...What I do know is... this feels like the only place where I can truly express myself in another way...So... let’s see....I’ll stick to my original idea....Promise, this is the last time you’ll see me doing this....I just wanted to get this off my chest....Thanks for listening... or reading, I guess.

Take this Chapter as a small way of showing my gratitude.

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Perhaps because of that resemblance and perhaps because of the sheer exhaustion weighing on him after everything he had endured since arriving in this world. Kelly did something he normally wouldn’t have allowed himself to do. For the first time since coming here...He let his guard down.

"Then how come you are here?"

Kelly spoke hesitantly, trying to piece his thoughts together as he talked.

"According to what you just said... after someone dies, their soul shouldn’t stay the same, right? It gets broken apart into fragments... turned into pieces... destroyed like"

He made a vague exploding gesture with his hands.

"Like kaboom."

Kelly scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"I mean... you understand what I’m trying to say, right?"

"...."

The woman didn’t respond. She simply stared at him. Silently. Her hazy figure remained completely still upon the throne, her blurred gaze fixed on him without the slightest hint of reaction. Under that unchanging stare, Kelly’s already clumsy explanation only felt more awkward. Eventually, after a moment of uncomfortable silence, he gave up trying to phrase it politely. Taking a breath, he decided to ask directly.

"Then why the fuck are you here if you’re supposed to be dead?"

His brows tightened as the question finally came out.

"Or does that mean you’re actually still alive?"

Kelly leaned forward slightly, frustration creeping into his voice.

"Seriously... what the hell are you?"

The words came out far more crudely than he intended. In fact, Kelly had completely forgotten the fear he initially felt when facing her. But the woman didn’t react with anger. Instead, she simply stared at him as though he were a complete idiot. Even without clearly seeing her face, her gaze practically screamed a single message. Shouldn’t you have realized it by now...

"Think, boy."

The woman’s voice rang out calmly. Inside his head, however, Kelly was screaming.

’Ahhh... just answer me already, damn it’

But the woman gave him nothing more. No explanation. No hints. No nothing. Only silence. Seconds passed. Then more. Finally, realizing she had no intention of answering directly, Kelly reluctantly forced himself to think. He replayed everything she had told him. Her explanation about souls. About skills. About soul particles. His brow furrowed as his mind dug through the scattered pieces of information.

Then, a memory surfaced. The battle. That strange translucent beast he had fought before. And the moment near the end of the fight...The hunger. That overwhelming, devouring sensation. The feeling of something inside him breaking free as if invisible shackles around his soul had suddenly shattered.

And then, His skill. Kelly’s eyes widened slightly.

’Wait...My skill...’

The realization struck him all at once. Slowly, almost unconsciously, Kelly spoke the word aloud.

"Gluttony."

The woman’s lips curved into a small smile. A smile that confirmed everything.

"Exactly, boy."

"...."

Kelly stood there in stunned silence. Even though he had guessed correctly, the realization still felt absurd. After everything the woman had explained about souls, the world’s laws, and the endless cycle of death and rebirth, the conclusion was almost unbelievable. A skill that could cheat death. In a world governed by such strict and balanced systems, that was nothing short of outrageous. It was practically the same as deceiving the world itself.

And somehow...He was the one who possessed it. Seeing the expression on his face, the woman seemed to realize that Kelly had reached the wrong conclusion. She let out a quiet sigh, as though the explanation she was about to give was already exhausting her.

"I am not actually alive, kid."

Her voice was softer than before.

"I wish I was."

For the first time since their conversation began, something cracked in her expression. Though her figure was still hazy and difficult to see clearly, Kelly could sense it. There was a faint trace of longing in her words. A yearning so subtle yet so genuine that it momentarily broke through the cold composure she had maintained until now. From another perspective, it might have even looked like remarkably good acting.

But to Kelly, it didn’t feel fake. Seeing that small glimpse of vulnerability and the honesty behind it only caused the guard he had been holding onto to drop even further.

"The skill."

The woman spoke calmly.

"You can feel it, can’t you?"

"It is absurdly powerful. And the more powerful something is... the more dangerous it becomes."

Her indistinct gaze remained fixed on him.

"Do not be naïve enough to believe that this skill will make you invincible."

The weight of her words settled heavily in the dark space.

"It will only help you... if you learn how to use it properly, boy."

Kelly, however, only stared back at her in confusion. He couldn’t understand what she meant.

As far as he was concerned, the only thing that skill had ever given him was a ridiculous amount of pain. Nothing more. He didn’t even truly understand what it did. Or what its purpose was. The mere thought of using it again made his body instinctively recoil. So when the woman spoke as if it were some incredible advantage, Kelly could only look at her as though she had completely lost her mind.

’Use it again...Yeah... right’

The sceptical look in his eyes said everything. The woman seemed to understand that gaze immediately. And so, she continued explaining.

"Right now, you are in your soul form."

The woman spoke with the same composed tone as before.

"That is why you have no idea what absurd changes you have already gone through."

Her gaze remained fixed on him.

"Believe me, boy... once you wake up, you will understand."

A faint pause followed.

"I only hope you will be able to control your greed when that moment comes."

Her voice grew slightly more serious.

"Because, honestly speaking... you were far too lucky this time."

Kelly blinked.

"Fate itself seemed to favour you."

She continued explaining.

"Not only did you activate Gluttony at the direst moment your soul burning itself out to increase the skill level resulting in you be able to use Gluttony, you also managed to absorb the entire soul of a beast whose soul strength was only slightly weaker than your own and very compatible with your own soul."

Her tone carried a hint of disbelief.

"And that happened at the exact moment your own soul was injured a state in which your soul becomes more capable of accepting another soul to repair itself."

She tilted her head slightly.

"So tell me..."

"Was that merely a coincidence?"

"Or was it fate"