“How do you know about my Gluttony…?” I hadn’t said anything about it, yet somehow, he knew.
Greed let out a sly chuckle. “Because we truly aren’t so different, you and I. In time, you will understand, whether you like it or not.”
With that pompous little riddle, Greed fell into silence. I still had questions, but for now, I suspected he was right. Things might break bad if other adventurers learned about my unique power. If it became known that I devoured the skills of those I killed, some adventurers might start worrying I would try to take theirs. It wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility for people like that to want to preemptively kill me. They’d want to get me while I was still weak. This was exactly the way a person like Rafale would think, and he couldn’t be the only one of his foul kind.
Putting my own safety first meant hunting alone, just me and Greed, until I became so powerful nobody could touch me.
We would start with goblins.
Chapter 5:
Eat All the Things
I HID IN THE GRASS at the edge of the Goblin Grasslands. Just a short distance away squatted a goblin, yawning. The green-skinned monster stood about as high as my waist, and its tattered clothes looked stolen.
The goblin hadn’t noticed me. Its guard was down. I scanned the immediate area, but the monster seemed alone. Holding my breath, I circled toward the goblin’s blind spot, where I used Identify.
Goblin Fighter, Lv 3
Vitality: 30
Strength: 40
Magic: 10
Spirit: 10
Agility: 30
Skills: Strength Boost (Low)
A goblin fighter… It seemed goblins came in a few different classes. This one’s stats were much lower than mine.
Next, I used Identify on the goblin’s skill.
Strength Boost (Low): Slightly increases the power of physical attacks.
The skill was a stat boost, then. If this Strength Boost was low, that meant there were probably medium and high versions, too. I needed to start grabbing useful skills wherever I could.
The goblin finally lost out to sleepiness and drifted into slumber. This was my chance!
I leapt out from the grass and dashed to close in on the goblin. It awoke to the sound of my furious footsteps and turned to face me, but it was too late. The black sword Greed cleaved a smooth arc through the air, severing the goblin’s head from its shoulders. The goblin died before it even had a chance to cry out, let alone fight back.
As it died, a familiar metallic voice echoed in my head.
Gluttony skill activated. Stats increased: Vitality +30, Strength +40, Magic +10, Spirit +10, Agility +30. Skill added: Strength Boost (Low).
Yes! Just to be sure, I used Identify to analyze my stats again.
Fate Graphite, Lv 1
Vitality: 151
Strength: 191
Magic: 111
Spirit: 111
Agility: 161
Skills: Gluttony, Identify, Telepathy, Strength Boost (Low)
My stats were rising. I was getting stronger.
Greed chuckled as I stood there, lost in joy as I gazed at my stats and skills.
“Overreacting a little for a measly goblin, don’t you think? If we have to do a victory dance every time you kill such a wretch, we won’t get anything done.”
“Give me a break, would you? I just killed my first monster.”
Maybe a “measly goblin” didn’t mean anything to the other adventurers, but until yesterday, I’d lived in honest fear of all these beasts. I felt an indescribable new freedom now that the tables had turned.
I cut off the goblin’s ears as proof I’d slain it. The kingdom rewarded anyone who helped keep the monster population down; you exchanged proof for money at the designated trading post. One pair of goblin ears was worth ten copper coins, which was more than my daily gatekeeping wages. Adventuring was dangerous, but the money was great. I tucked the goblin ears in a burlap bag I’d brought with me. It was time for the next target.
I cautiously continued through the field until I found two goblins in a clearing. I could tell one of them was a goblin fighter, based on the sword he carried, but the other held only a large shield. Fortunately, I didn’t need to stand around guessing what that meant. I had Identify.
Goblin Guard, Lv 3
Vitality: 40
Strength: 20
Magic: 10
Spirit: 10
Agility: 10
Skills: Vitality Boost (Low)
The goblin guard had a touch more health than the goblin fighter and, to go with it, a low vitality-boost skill. But I figured that, as long as I could avoid letting my attacks bounce off that shield, this battle was mine.
I watched the two goblins from the shadows of the high grass, deciding which to take first. At a glance, it looked like the sword-wielding goblin fighter was the better option. But if my first attack failed, or the goblins noticed me coming, that shield-carrying guard would be a problem while I took on the fighter.
Though I suspected I could have overwhelmed the two goblins by force, I wasn’t used to battling monsters. I wanted to be certain of my attack plan, so I decided to start with the guard.
I waited for the goblins to separate and put a little distance between themselves.
Now!
I dove out of hiding while the guard faced the other way, but its reflexes were sharp. It sensed me coming and turned with its shield at the ready. Greed was already flying through the air; my sword was going to bounce off the goblin’s shield.
Or so I thought.
“Augh!”
The guard let out a scream as the black sword carved through goblin and shield as if through paper. It seemed Greed was far sharper than he appeared. If that was the case, these goblins had no chance of stopping my attacks.
Gluttony skill activated. Stats increased: Vitality +40, Strength +20, Magic +10, Spirit +10, Agility +10. Skill added: Vitality Boost (Low)
The metallic voice rang in my head as I dashed toward the remaining goblin. It had noticed me, of course, and now waved its sword menacingly. I kept a close eye on it as I paused to ask Greed something.
“Hey, Greed,” I said.
“Hey, what?”
“If you’re so sharp, why were you being sold for practically nothing?”
“It’s simple. I choose who wields me.”
“Does that mean you’ve accepted I have the right to handle you?”
“Ugh. Shut it.”
Greed’s voice was sulky, but his blade glowed with a keen light. His words were often spiteful, but in his own way, Greed had taken to me. I intended to live up to his expectations.
The goblin fighter swung its sword wildly in an attempt to intimidate me, but it made no difference. I cut both it and its sword clean in half and watched as the goblin fell, its eyes rolling back into its head.
Gluttony skill activated. Stats increased: Vitality +30, Strength +40, Magic +10, Spirit +10, Agility +30
This time, I didn’t acquire any skills. It seemed I couldn’t stack skills I already owned. If I wanted new powers, I would have to hunt different monsters. But even the stats alone were delicious enough.
I hunted a further twenty-five goblin fighters and ten goblin guards, until my bag was almost full of goblin ears. Then I checked my current stats with Identify.
Fate Graphite, Lv 1
Vitality: 1,371
Strength: 1,451
Magic: 481
Spirit: 481
Agility: 1,051
Skills: Gluttony, Identify, Telepathy, Strength Boost (Low), Vitality Boost (Low)
My vitality, strength, and agility stats had all reached four digits, though my magic and spirit stats lagged, because my enemies were also lacking there. It was almost impossible to believe that, just yesterday, all my stats had all been a single digit: one.
One thing bothered me, though—my level. I’d defeated enough enemies to earn the Spheres required for a level up. But something was weird;
my level hadn’t changed at all.
Greed chuckled at my confusion. “It’s an effect of your Gluttony. Those whose skills violate the natural order of the gods cannot receive the blessings of Spheres.”
“‘Violate the natural order of the gods…’ What do you mean?”
“That’s what you’re doing. The act of devouring the stats and skills of your enemies through their death is the rejection of the natural order and the very concept of levels. There are no blessings for such people. Your stats were meant to be all ones. And…”
Greed paused. Something was on his mind.
“No. It’s nothing. It’s almost lunch. Shouldn’t we be getting back to the kingdom?”
I was curious and wanted him to continue, but also he was right, I was getting hungry—in the more traditional sense. It was time to finish up and head back to Seifort. My stats had broken four digits, and that was enough for today. Also, I didn’t know exactly why, but the goblins had started getting desperate—near vicious—in their attacks. I worried it wasn’t safe to push them further. In any case, with my new stats, I could continue on my next hunt—perhaps as far as the forest, to hunt hobgoblins. They were a rank up from ordinary goblins, so they’d fill me up even more.
In high spirits, I began the walk back to the Kingdom of Seifort.
Chapter 6:
Behind the House of Hart
U PON MY RETURN to Seifort, I went to the trading post for my reward money.
It was full of rough-looking adventurers standing shoulder to shoulder. I heard the occasional curse thrown around, as well as arguments over exact trading conditions. Getting mixed up with these types could only lead to trouble, so I slipped through the crowds and took my place in line.
The muscular adventurer at the end of the line turned and peered down at me. He chuckled derisively. One look at my clothes, and he probably figured I was some scrub running errands for a real adventurer. Whatever. That was fine by me. If people saw me at the counter with a mountain of monster parts and assumed I was a mere errand boy, it meant I could avoid drawing suspicion with my thirty-eight pairs of ears.
The cashier called for me. “Next in line, please.”
I took my small bag stuffed with goblin ears to the counter.
“Let’s see here… My, my, that’s a lot of hunting. You must have been a big party, huh?”
“Uh…yeah,” I said. “Yeah, I was. And we all fought really hard together. We got excited, and, uh…the next thing you know…”
I grasped for details on the fly as I regaled the cashier with the adventures of my nonexistent party. The tale of my imaginary allies…it made me feel kind of…empty.
“How ridiculous,” Greed said.
“Oh, just shut up, you.”
The cashier blinked at me, confusion in their eyes. Nobody could hear Greed’s voice, so of course they were taken aback. I’d effectively just told them to shut up mid-conversation. I’d meant the retort for Greed, but naturally, the cashier thought I was talking to them.
“Sorry,” I said. “Don’t mind me.”
I gave as many polite smiles as I had to and managed to get away.
I heaved a sigh of relief as I left the trading post. I’d learned from the cashier that most parties hunted about ten monsters a day, and that was at the high end. This was because hunting the same type of monster built up “hate,” which made the type more likely to target you. “Hate” explained why the goblins had come at me so aggressively during the second half of my hunt.
In future, it would be best for me to follow the example of the other adventurers and limit the number of monsters I cashed in to ten. I’d have to give up on anything more than that, because if I kept bringing in mountains of monster parts, it would start to look suspicious. It felt like a waste, but I didn’t have a choice.
I looked at my bag of three silver and eighty copper coins. Five years of hardship for two silver coins, and I’d surpassed my savings in half a day.
“Five years of my life…” I muttered.
As I inched closer to what had seemed like an impossible dream of a normal, decent life, I was being forced to see just how twisted the world was. Thinking about it made my rage simmer. All the misery I’d endured at the hands of Rafale and his siblings, the things they’d said. “Useless.” “Less than garbage.” “You don’t even have the right to be angry.”
Remembering them made my stomach growl, even though I was full of goblin souls. It was like Gluttony telling me it wanted to eat. That it wanted to be fed . But it was too soon for that, and there was Lady Roxy to think of. The Vlericks were no longer only my problem.
Instead, I needed to figure out what to do with the money I’d earned. When I looked down at the patchwork rags I called clothes, I suddenly knew just how to spend it.
***
“The clothes maketh the man, indeed.”
“Shut up, Greed.”
We’d gone from rags to not-quite-riches. With two silver coins, I’d bought a decent bespoke outfit from a tailor. With another fifty copper coins, I bought a scabbard for Greed; I threw in another ten coins to have the oily residue cleaned from his blade.
From every angle, I at last seemed like a genuinely normal person. With my new threads, I could go to the Holy Knight District without catching side-eye from any of the guards or gatekeepers. I even had money left over, which meant I could treat myself to what was, by my standards, a princely lunch.
In high spirits, I headed to the main street, which was lined with restaurants and places to drink. I could have gone to one of my regular spots down the backstreets, but I thought it would be nice to go somewhere different for once. This street had the most eateries in the entire kingdom. It was full of people coming and going. There were so many people, in fact, that even if you stopped in place, the crowds would simply pull you along with them.
Now to choose where to go—and what to eat. It had to be meat. If I was going to eat anything, it had to be meat. What would it taste like after five years? Just thinking about it made me drool with excitement.
Greed took the opportunity to speak to me using Telepathy. “You’re overreacting, boy. It’s just meat.”
“What are you talking about? It’s…it’s meat !”
“Ha. As a weapon, I’ve never understood you people and your appetites. It’s more important to make sure you take proper care of me when I’m dirtied in battle. That, to me, is as crucial as eating is to you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Didn’t I just spend ten coins to get you cleaned and mended?”
“If you ask me, you should be able to do that much by yourself.”
Greed was right. Going to the blacksmith all the time would start to add up. Moreover, if I was ever away from the kingdom for days on a long hunt, I would have to do weapon maintenance myself. Even so, because the black sword’s blade didn’t blunt, “maintenance” would only mean wiping away blood and gristle.
I thought I could leave it at that, but Greed didn’t care for my nonchalance. He was adamant that I keep him clean. I guess that, just like people, he didn’t care for grime. He was different from other weapons, after all. He was a sword with a soul.
Knowing he felt that way made me wonder what feelings had curdled within him while he rotted away at that weapon stall, covered in dust and oil and treated like nothing. If I asked, I knew he wouldn’t say a word. He was stubborn like that.
“All right,” I said. “How about after lunch we make sure we’re equipped to keep you in fine form?”
“Ah, finally. You’ve realized how important I am. Treat me like you would a precious stone.”
“You really are the bossiest weapon I’ve ever met, you know that?”
“Expect nothing less from the greatest of black swords, the mighty Greed.”
I could already imagine him nagging me. You missed a spot here. Don’t forget to clean this . If he got mouthy, I’d dunk him in a pail of icy well water. That’d give him time to quiet down and cool off.
> I was properly hungry now. I’d had enough of maintenance talk. It was time to speak the finest of words: lunch. The transcendent aroma of sizzling meat drifted from the restaurant in front of me. In that instant, my lunch spot was decided.
I hustled toward the restaurant when what looked to be a father and his daughter bowled straight into me. I was caught completely off guard and sent flying onto my butt.
“Look where you’re going, you piece of shit,” the man growled. “Get out of my way!”
“What?!” I cried.
This scruffy, bearded brute walked into me and had the nerve to talk like that?! I was about to shout back, but the man was already pushing on through the crowd, ignoring me. His young daughter was silent as she let herself be pulled along, but I was still angry at the pigheaded jerk, so I reached out to stop them.
As my hand brushed against the girl’s, my Telepathy skill activated.
“Help… Somebody… Help me…”
In that tiny moment of contact, I couldn’t catch her words clearly enough to be one hundred percent sure, but had the girl cried out for help? Why? They were father and daughter, weren’t they? When I looked again, however, those two didn’t resemble each other at all. Was the girl being kidnapped?!
I used Identify on the man as he bulled into the crowd.
Kasim Black, Lv 15
Vitality: 920
Strength: 900
Magic: 670
Spirit: 500
Agility: 950
Skills:
He didn’t have skills? That was impossible. Skills were a gift from the gods, and everybody was born with one. Had I not read his stats properly? I analyzed him again, but the results were the same.
Greed’s words cut through my confusion. “That man’s abilities are hidden by the Conceal skill, so you can’t see them with Identify. However, you can tell by his vitality and strength stats that he’s an adventurer. That leaves the question: what skill is he hiding? And what are you going to do?”
“What am I going to do? I don’t…”
The man was disappearing into the crowd, dragging the girl with him. The longer I stared, the more certain I became that she was too anxious to speak. Now that I knew this, I couldn’t just stand by and watch.
Berserk of Gluttony (Light Novel) Vol. 1 Page 3
