Berserk of Gluttony Vol. 4, page 1
Table of Contents
Color Gallery
Title Page
Copyrights and Credits
Table of Contents Page
Chapter 1: The Fourth Level
Chapter 2: The Snowy Paths of Memory
Chapter 3: The Black Knight
Chapter 4: The Bloody Winds of Change
Chapter 5: A Relaxing Respite
Chapter 6: A Fresh Start
Chapter 7: The Old Church
Chapter 8: The Shadow of the Vlericks
Chapter 9: The Military District of Seifort
Chapter 10: Research Facility No. 7
Chapter 11: The Imprisoned Holy Knight
Chapter 12: Experiment E002
Chapter 13: The Past, Resurrected
Chapter 14: The Rising Undead
Chapter 15: The Inhuman
Chapter 16: The Great Call for Blood
Chapter 17: The Flashing Black Spear
Chapter 18: Bloodthirsty
Chapter 19: Soul Decay
Chapter 20: Lust Enters the Fray
Chapter 21: Dark Matter
Chapter 22: The Crushing Black Axe
Chapter 23: The Laplace Lineage
Chapter 24: Fate and Roxy
Chapter 25: The End of the Vlericks
Chapter 26: Roxy's Invitation
Chapter 27: A Carefree Happiness
Chapter 28: Out in the Open
Chapter 29: Aisha Hart
Chapter 30: The Trials of Greed
Chapter 31: To the Top
Chapter 32: The Manor's New Servant
Afterword
Newsletter
Chapter 1:
The Fourth Level
A LITTLE OVER TWO MONTHS had passed since I defeated the Divine Dragon in the wastelands of Galia. The continent was now wrapped in the chill of winter, the beginning of spring yet a distant hope.
I trudged on through a world covered in white, my path piled high with snow too thick for any horse and carriage to pass through. In other seasons, the fields around me would be filled with grapes. Now they were hidden under the falling snow.
I had last visited this estate quite some time ago, while serving under Lady Roxy. We’d harvested autumn grapes. The snow was so heavy that I couldn’t even tell which field we had worked in. The lands of the Hart family estate were blanketed by unyielding winter.
I walked on, past the lights of shuttered houses lining the snowy paths, until I arrived at the entrance of a mansion. I remembered the mansion of the Hart estate well, but in truth, I’d expected to never see it again. I took a deep breath, then lifted my left hand and knocked on the imposing front doors.
There was no reply.
Worry filled my heart. I tried the door and found it unlocked, so I pushed it open and entered. Inside, the servants hurried back and forth through the foyer, anxious and disorganized. This panic was so unlike their usual conduct that it immediately confirmed my fears: the situation was indeed dire. Still, I was a stranger here, and I’d entered uninvited.
A nearby maid called out to me. I turned toward her and she gasped, unable to hide her astonishment.
“You’re…you’re Fate, aren’t you?” she said. Her name was Maya. We’d met before. “You came here with Roxy during the grape harvest. You’re Fate Graphite. But…”
She realized that I had returned from Galia alone, and her face creased with fear.
“Don’t worry, Lady Roxy Hart is safe,” I said to put her worries at ease. “Once she’s completed her duties in Galia, I expect she’ll return home herself.”
Maya’s face flooded with relief, but it lasted only a moment, replaced by confusion. I could see her next thought clearly through her furrowed brows: Then why are you here, not accompanying Lady Roxy? That was a worthwhile question. In answer, I showed her the crest I kept hidden under my cloak.
“What is this?” Maya asked.
“It’s exactly what it looks like. Now, please, may I see Lady Aisha Hart?”
“But that’s…” Maya’s eyes widened in recognition. The sight of the crest had left her struggling for words. But I didn’t need her to fill me in. I’d seen her distress as well as that of the rest of the servants. I understood the gravity of the situation.
“She’s not doing well, is she?” I asked.
“No, she’s not. Her condition has only worsened since last night. The doctor says that she…doesn’t have long…”
“I see.”
“We’re trying to prepare a horse and rider to inform Lady Roxy, but…”
Outside, the winter storm was whipping into a blizzard. Sending a rider into that mess would be far too dangerous. From the dispirited look on Maya’s face, she was thinking the same thing.
I offered a few words of encouragement. “It’s okay, Maya. This is why I’m here. I made a promise to Lady Aisha.” A long time had passed since I made that promise, but at long last, I’d returned.
“A promise?”
“Yes. It’s important.”
Maya led me to Lady Aisha’s room in silence, overwhelmed by my confidence and the meaning of the crest I now wore. More servants stopped and stared as we passed, but there was no time to explain.
Maya and I entered Lady Aisha’s room, where she lay sunken and exhausted on her four-poster bed. Even from a distance, I could tell that her condition was critical. She was surrounded by a group of servants and an old man who must have been her doctor. They looked up at us, disturbed by my sudden intrusion.
Now was the time to introduce myself. “I apologize for barging in. I am Fate Barbatos, heir and head of the Barbatos family. This honor was bestowed upon me by the Blessed Blade—the Blade of Light himself, Lord Aaron Barbatos. Please, I ask you all to make room while I tend to Lady Aisha’s illness.”
From my cloak I produced the Barbatos family crest again, and, showing it around, I slowly made my way past the speechless servants to Lady Aisha’s bed.
“Tend to her illness?!” the elderly doctor cried from her bedside. “Are you mad?! I have exhausted every known means to treat her, but they’re all…they’re useless…”
The doctor’s head drooped, overcome with dismay. I placed my hand gently on his shoulder.
“There is a way,” I said. “Look here at my left arm.”
“What does your arm have to do with this?!”
“Two months ago, my left arm was severed from my body. The power I’m about to wield returned that stump to the healthy limb you see now.”
“Preposterous,” the doctor sputtered. “Total nonsense. You can’t expect us to believe that.”
Of course the doctor would be suspicious and distrustful of a stranger who showed up in the night claiming to have regrown an arm. No one was more aware of the limitations of the human body than a physician. However, I wouldn’t let the old man stand in my way.
Just as I stepped forward to push past him, Lady Aisha’s eyes opened. Her gaze was distant, but she found me. “Fate…is that you? Oh, you came… I’m so happy to see you…”
“As I promised,” I said.
“Then will you…will you tell me…your answer?”
“Before I do, would you allow me to cast a spell for you? Think of it as a prayer. One that will help you feel better.”
“Fate, I… Very well. But when you are done, please…tell me your answer.”
“Of course, Lady Aisha.”
Now that I had her permission, the doctor wouldn’t dare stop me. I replaced the crest and withdrew an elegant black stave from my cloak. This stave was the Weapon of Mortal Sin, Greed, in his Fourth Level form. I could now fully wield its power thanks to the twin guidance of my two mentors—the demon Myne and the monster Eris. I had been pushed past my limits by their grueling training regimen.
In other words, those were painful memories I wished to forget. Those two had made training with the former holy knight, Aaron, the Blade of Light, look like a walk in the park.
“Greed,” I said. “Are you ready?”
“I’m always ready,” the stave retorted. “Just in case you’ve forgotten! You know you gotta pony up 40 percent of your stats to me, right?”
“You’re cutting me a good deal.”
Greed cackled. “Then let me at ’em!”
I felt my stats drain out through my arm as the stave expanded into its Apocalyptic form. Its intricate design reshaped itself into ominous angles. The servants drew back, quivering in fear. As Maya covered her head and dropped to the ground with a frightened cry, I cast Greed’s Fourth Level secret technique, Twilight Healing.
For the most part, healing magic was unknown to us humans—with the exception of Twilight Healing. In order to cast this unique spell, I had to sacrifice 40 percent of my stats while I was in the Domain of E. This spell could heal any injury or sickness. As far as I knew, its only limitation was that it could not restore the dead to life. If physical damage was especially bad, more stats had to be offered to the spell, but with enough stats to offer…the stave’s healing potential was effectively limitless.
This spell alone had the power to save the lives of the people I cared about.
A crimson seal inscribed itself into the air above Lady Aisha’s chest. White flame sparked from its central healing flame. Illuminating the woman’s prone form, the white flame began its work. Little by little, color returned to Lady Aisha’s pallid face.
The servants murmured among themselves as Lady Aisha’s condition improved before their eyes. As the spell faded, it became clear that Lady Aisha had completely recovered. Gently, she touched her face and arms as if examining herself for proof of the miracle that had just unfolded. Finally, she turned to me with a smile.
“I’m glad I kept fighting my illness for as long as I did,” she said. “Otherwise, I never would’ve seen this wondrous spell.”
“I’m glad, too, Lady Aisha.”
We shared a smile before Lady Aisha spoke again. “Are you ready to tell me your answer now?”
“You are essential to Lady Roxy,” I said. “You’re her last direct relative, and I believe that you should watch over her. That is why I returned to you. But I’m no longer the Fate Graphite you met when I last visited. I am now Fate Barbatos, the heir of the Barbatos family.”
Lady Aisha looked thoughtful, but she said nothing in reply. In her silence, I bid her and the others farewell.
Just as I was leaving the room, Lady Aisha spoke once more. “Does Roxy know about this?”
“She doesn’t.”
“I see.”
As I closed the bedroom door behind me, I could hear Lady Aisha speaking excitedly. “Roxy will be so very amazed to learn of my recovery! As soon as we’re able, we must make arrangements to visit her in the capital!”
Travel plans already? I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d given her a little too much energy when I healed her. It was with this fleeting worry that I put the Hart estate behind me.
I returned along the snowy paths I had walked earlier, following them up to the great tree at the top of a hill where my companion waited for me: a warrior with a head of hair as white as the snow. Upon her slight frame, this girl carried a gargantuan black axe. She watched, her face expressionless, as I arrived at the base of the tree.
“Are you done?” she asked.
“Yes. We were right to hurry, Myne. A little longer and we might have been too late.”
“Hm. Good news. Well, let’s go.”
Myne and I walked together through the storm, along the wintry paths, headed back for the Kingdom of Seifort. By now, Eris should have arrived ahead of us. There was no telling what would happen if we kept her waiting too long. Yet even while I dreaded our reunion with Eris, I felt excitement. I couldn’t wait to visit my old tavern. I was looking forward to ordering some of that expensive wine the barkeep had told me about before I left.
Chapter 2:
The Snowy Paths of Memory
ON OUR WAY to the kingdom, the snowstorm worsened, and we took shelter in a cave to escape the freezing cold. The opening to the cave was easily big enough for five people, and though I worried that it might be home to a beast or monster, Myne assured me that she sensed nothing. I ventured inside with my black sword clasped in hand and discovered the remains of a campfire, as well as a stockpile of firewood against the walls.
“Myne, look. We can use this to start a fire.”
“I suppose it is getting a little cold.”
Perhaps another traveler had used this cave as a camping ground, maybe for a hunting expedition. Whatever the case, we were both grateful for the supplies they’d left behind. I arranged some firewood to start a campfire of our own. It was good, dry wood, and I was sure it would burn well. I used my trusty Fireball spell to light the fire, and once filled with the bright crackle of blazing firewood, the gloom of the cave instantly transformed. The calming dance of the flames bathed us in warm light.
I let out a sigh, relieved. “It’s so toasty.”
“There’s nothing like a campfire in winter.”
We set our weapons against the wall, and I unrolled my travel blanket on the floor by the fire. Not long after I sat down, Myne sat beside me and pushed into my side, as if to snuggle.
“Myne, how about giving me a little space? There’s enough room around the fire for both of us.”
She didn’t budge. “This is the best way to get warm. Also, the best way to keep warm.”
“Wait, don’t tell me…you don’t like the cold?”
“I’m…not a wimp, Fate.”
Still, Myne pushed closer. It made me smile. This young woman never hesitated when it came to getting her way. And it really was much warmer with her close. I had no real reason to complain.
I let my thoughts wander as I stared at the campfire. Then I peeked over at Myne.
“What is it, Fate?” The girl was nothing if not a true warrior. She felt my gaze immediately.
“I was just thinking…about how much you’ve helped me. There was that time after the battle with the Divine Dragon, of course, but you’ve been at my side countless other times too.”
“That’s because you’re still weak,” Myne said with her typical bluntness. “Without me, you’d be dead.”
“Well…yeah, compared to you, I’m not that strong, but I’m doing my best to get there.”
Myne nodded in agreement, a gesture that felt decidedly rare for her. “Yes, Fate,” she murmured. “You really…you really are trying your best.”
I was filled with joy. She praised me!
Then, in the very next instant, Myne dropped into slumber.
Though it sometimes felt like she used me more like a favorite pillow than a friend, her slumber was so blissful that I was happy to let this incident slide. I turned my gaze back to the flickering flames of the campfire, at which point my thoughts drifted back to the events that had transpired not long after I parted ways with Lady Roxy in Galia.
***
So how had I ended up in a one-armed predicament? I’d lost my left arm in battle. In order to get it back, Myne and Eris had seen fit to put me through special training.
After I had defeated the Divine Dragon, I’d sacrificed the entirety of my stats to Greed in order to unlock his Fourth Level, the black stave. Myne and Eris had then decided to train me in the ways of the stave, teaching me to wield its secret technique, Twilight Healing.
Myne and Eris were both apparently well versed in the workings of this Fourth Level secret technique. They said Twilight Healing was even capable of restoring the arm I’d lost. To say I couldn’t believe this bold claim would have been an understatement. It was one thing to talk about healing major injuries, but restoring an entire severed limb? That was a bridge too far for me, and I told them so. Myne decided the quickest course of action was to beat the information into me. Literally.
Later, as I tended my bruises, I asked Greed about it. His reply was as arrogant as I expected.
“It’s no lie, Fate. But having said that, my Fourth Level secret technique is a hell of a thing to master. Remember the Third Level secret technique you unleashed in the battle against the Divine Dragon? This is on a far higher level than even that. For starters, it requires 40 percent of your total stats. And until you heighten your mastery of Bloody Ptarmigan, the First Level secret technique, you can forget about getting started on the Fourth. Oh, and you better get used to hanging out in the Domain of E too. That’s another prerequisite for Twilight Healing!”
“Chin up, Fate,” Myne said while I was trying to absorb all this information.
“All right, let’s get going,” said Eris, equally impatient.
“Get going? Wait, but where to? Guys, wait!” I cried.
But my words fell on two sets of deaf ears, and I was summarily whisked off into the depths of the country of death, Galia. We headed for the far south, to the orc colonies. On our way there, I was told this little jaunt was to earn back all the stats I’d lost by releasing Greed’s Fourth Level. In short, it was more like endlessly training until I was a haggard shadow.
“Fate, think of this as an all-you-can-eat buffet!” said Eris. “No shortage of food for you here. And besides, now that you’ve reached the Domain of E, you’ll have much better control over your pesky Gluttony. First off, you’ll have to eat all these delicious souls to get your stats back. Then we’ll make you fire your Bloody Ptarmigan attack until you can’t raise your arm anymore. But no need to worry. If you get tired, I’ll be right here to perk you back up again!” She blew me a kiss.
“I don’t need to be perked up!” I protested. “And more importantly, are you serious about making me fire the Bloody Ptarmigan that many times?!”
In my one-armed state, just thinking about that constant energy drain—10 percent of my stats, every shot—had been terrifying. Confusion and doubt had seized me, but in the face of my objections, Eris remained firmly frank and nonchalant.
