The sky outside was the same dull grey it had been for weeks—just like everything else in the city of Eronvale. The rain had stopped, but the clouds clung to the sky like smoke stains on an old ceiling. Inside the classroom, time crawled.
Students sat slumped at their desks, notebooks open, pens scratching half-heartedly. At the front of the room, Ms. Alder droned on about economic structures, her voice sharp and precise. She gestured at the board with too much passion for a subject no one cared about.
But in the very back, a figure sat alone, as if carved from shadow.
Ezra Carter.
Eighteen. Quiet. Haunted. Half-black, half-silver hair cascaded over his golden eyes—sharp and unreadable. While others passed notes and whispered, Ezra sat with his arms folded, face blank, eyes fixed somewhere beyond the window, beyond the world.
He didn't belong here.
He never had.
The memory came uninvited.
Rain on the windshield. Wipers squeaking. The hum of his father's laugh, the sound of his mother singing along to an old song.
"Ezzy," his mother said, smiling back at him from the front seat. "You okay, baby? You've been quiet."
Ezra looked up from his sketchpad. "Just tired."
His dad chuckled. "Tired from being a genius, huh?"
Ezra rolled his eyes but smiled. The car felt warm. Safe.
Then—
Headlights.
Too fast. Wrong lane.
The crash was deafening. Metal screamed. Glass shattered. The world flipped.
Ezra screamed as the car rolled. His head hit something. Everything spun.
When he came to, everything was still.
Smoke. Blood.
His mother slumped forward, unmoving.
"Mom...?"
His father's hand twitched once. Then nothing.
Ezra reached out, sobbing, trapped in the crushed seat.
"NO—PLEASE!"
He screamed into the silence.
He was the only one breathing.
"EZRA!"
He blinked.
Ms. Alder's voice cracked like a whip. "Do you have an opinion on wealth disparity, or do you just enjoy ignoring me?"
Snickers rolled through the room.
"He never talks," someone whispered.
"Creeps me out, the way he just… sits there."
"He thinks he's better than everyone."
Ezra's eyes flicked toward the front. A flat stare. Then back to the window.
The bell rang.
Chairs scraped. Backpacks zipped. Students flooded out like a tide. Ms. Alder sighed dramatically and left last, muttering about wasted potential.
Ezra remained.
Alone in the silence, he let out a slow breath.
They're all noise. Flies buzzing around a corpse.
He stood, slinging his bag over one shoulder. His steps echoed as he left the classroom, the halls now nearly empty.
The world outside was colder than it looked. Ezra pulled up his hood and walked. Past buildings, flickering neon, and the dull hum of life. Alone, always alone.
What am I even doing here? he wondered. Going through the motions. Wake up. Sit in class. Pretend to exist. Then what? He sighed. No one notices. No one cares. I'm a ghost.
His stomach growled.
"Seriously?" he muttered. "Out already?"
A convenience store stood just across the next intersection. Ezra crossed the street and pushed the door open. A familiar bell jingled.
"Ezra!" called out Mr. Harlow, the old store owner with salt-and-pepper hair and a permanently amused expression. "Still alive, huh?"
Ezra grunted. "Barely. Got any of those seaweed rice chips?"
"Back left. You really need to branch out, kid."
Ezra smirked. "Some of us enjoy consistency."
He grabbed three packs and returned to the counter.
Mr. Harlow scanned them and leaned on the counter. "You know, you've been coming here since you were yea high. Could barely see over the candy shelf. Always took that same brand."
Ezra gave a small chuckle. "Yeah. Guess I've always been predictable."
"Except you used to smile more," Mr. Harlow said quietly.
Ezra looked away.
"I still remember the day after the accident," Harlow continued. "You came in covered in bruises, didn't say a word. Just grabbed the chips and left."
Ezra didn't answer.
The silence lingered.
Harlow sighed. "Look, I know you're dealing with more than anyone should. But don't shut out the whole world forever."
"Why not?" Ezra asked flatly. "The world already shut me out."
He placed a few bills on the counter.
"I'm still here, ain't I?" Harlow said with a half-smile.
Ezra paused. "...Yeah. You are."
He pushed open the door.
"Be safe out there, kid."
Outside again, Ezra walked the long way home. The chips crinkled in his bag. He turned down a quieter street.
Laughter rang out from a nearby park. Kids playing catch.
"Throw it higher!"
"No, over here!"
Ezra barely looked their way.
But then—
Thud.
The ball bounced. Rolled into the road.
A child chased after it.
A truck was coming.
Fast.
Ezra froze. Not again. Not again.
He turned—and another figure bolted from the sidewalk.
"DAMIEN!" Ezra shouted. He recognized the kid. Damien, the same one who came into the store nearly every day.
Damien sprinted into the street, faster than his legs should've allowed. His eyes locked on the truck.
He's not gonna make it. He's too far. The kid's gonna die.
Ezra ran.
Come on, come on! Don't freeze, don't think, MOVE! His muscles screamed, breath burned.
He caught up to Damien. The truck's horn blasted.
Ezra grabbed the kid and shoved him sideways.
"GO!"
The truck was thunder and steel.
Ezra turned—
Impact.
Blackness.
Floating.
Ezra's eyes blinked open.
Darkness.
Not just dark. Infinite. He was surrounded by a vast ocean of black liquid, suspended in nothingness. His limbs floated loosely, weightless, as though the rules of gravity had surrendered to the void.
Above him stretched an unfathomable sky, painted with constellations he didn't recognize. Massive planets hung low, some glowing faintly blue or pulsing red. Shards of distant moons glittered like broken glass scattered across velvet. Meteors drifted, frozen in time. The sky looked alive.
What... is this place?
He breathed—but there was no air. Yet he didn't suffocate.
He shifted and found himself rising from the dark waters. Not swimming—lifting. The black liquid parted beneath his feet like oil on glass, letting him stand. It rippled gently under him, like breathing.
"This place… it's silent. Too silent," he whispered aloud. "Am I dead?"
There was no echo.
The silence wasn't empty. It pressed in around him, watching, waiting.
"Hello?" he called. "Anybody out there?"
Nothing.
Then—
"Hello."
He spun.
Nobody.
His eyes fell to the liquid beneath him. His reflection stared back.
It wasn't right.
The reflection smiled.
Ezra hadn't.
"What the hell—"
Suddenly, the surface of the liquid bubbled. Small at first. Then violently.
A geyser of black erupted upward. Ezra shielded his face, staggering as warm, thick droplets splattered around him. The air crackled with static. A soundless vibration rang in his skull like a silent scream.
The column of liquid twisted mid-air, folding in on itself, spinning faster and faster.
And then—
Silence again.
When Ezra lowered his arm, he gasped.
A woman stood before him.
Tall. Ethereal. Impossible.
Her silver-white hair flowed like living threads of light and shadow, cascading down her back, flickering with hunger and grace. Her eyes—deep galaxy purple with spinning concentric rings—glowed faintly. When they locked onto Ezra, it was like time stopped.
Her skin shimmered like marble carved from starlight, luminous and unreal. She wore a dress spun from shadows and cursed light, fabric that shifted constantly, sometimes ribbons, sometimes mist. Jewels glimmered at her wrists—crystallized curses, frozen screams.
The air around her pulsed.
Ezra's heart raced.
She smiled.
"Hello, my darling vessel," she said, her voice a melody laced with danger.
Ezra staggered back. "Who... who the hell are you?"
She stepped closer, the black sea rippling with each step.
"Me?" she whispered. "I am Lilivora. Goddess of Gluttony."
Ezra's golden eyes widened. "Goddess of… gluttony? What the hell is going on?!"
Lilivora's smile widened, full of teeth and delight.
Ezra stood still, eyes wide, heart hammering against his ribs. The woman before him—no, the entity—called herself Lilivora, the Goddess of Gluttony. His thoughts scrambled to form something coherent.
Gluttony? As in the sin? A goddess? Why the hell would I be talking to a gluttony goddess? Of all the beings out there...
His brows furrowed, lips slightly parted. And why did she call me— "My darling vessel," he whispered aloud.
Lilivora giggled, her voice like silk sliding across sharpened glass. "Yes, my darling vessel. This is real."
Ezra recoiled slightly. She heard that? I didn't even say it out loud. His golden eyes narrowed with equal parts fear and irritation. "Why am I here? Are you really the Gluttony Goddess?"
"Oh yes," she purred, brushing her long, silver hair behind her ear. "And you, Ezra Carter, have impressed me."
He took a cautious step back. "Impressed... how?"
"Saving that child. So noble. So selfless. Especially for someone who claims to care about nothing."
Ezra's eyes narrowed further. That wasn't— "I didn't do that to impress anyone."
"No," she said softly, eyes shimmering. "You did it because of your parents."
His breath caught.
"What?"
She smiled again, this time without mockery. "You ran into that street because you couldn't bear to watch someone else die… like they did. You remember it every day, don't you?"
Ezra's jaw trembled slightly. "How did you know that?"
"I've been watching you for a long, long time," she said, her tone now eerily gentle. "I see what's been eating away at you since that night."
Ezra looked down at his feet—no, at his reflection in the black liquid below. The same golden eyes stared up at him, full of guilt.
I couldn't save them, he thought.
Lilivora smiled, and there was unexpected warmth in her voice. "It's going to be alright, Ezra. Everything will be fine."
He looked back up, bitterness in his voice. "How am I supposed to be alright? I'm dead. I'm not even alive anymore."
"But you can be," she said smoothly. "I offer you a second life. And more than that... power."
Ezra's eyes widened slightly. Power? A second chance at life?
Lilivora chuckled, twirling her fingers. "Ah. Now I have your full attention."
What does she mean? Another life... and power? he wondered, staring at her with a mixture of awe and suspicion.
"How?" he asked finally.
The goddess stepped closer. Ezra felt a chill crawl up his spine. She was taller than him by just a bit—enough to make her presence overwhelming.
As she drew near, Ezra instinctively stepped back. Her hand rose.
"Don't—" he whispered, eyes clenching shut.
But he didn't feel pain. He felt warmth. Gentle. Electric.
A single finger rested under his chin, lifting it.
He opened his eyes.
Her face was close, her eyes boring into his. "You will be sent to another world. A new beginning. With power beyond anything you've known."
Ezra's breath hitched. Another world... power? Gluttony?
"What kind of world?" he asked.
"A world of magic. Monsters. Guilds. Kingdoms. Gods," she said. "And as for power... you shall become a Gluttony Mage."
"Gluttony Mage?" Ezra echoed.
"A rare soul-bonded class," she said. "A terrifyingly broken skill: Devour — the power to consume anything and gain its strength. Monsters, magic, weapons, curses, souls… even divine beings. If it exists, you can eat it. You hunger."
Ezra's eyes widened. Consume… everything? That's insane. That's— "That's power," he muttered.
"What do you think?" Lilivora asked, her smile twisting. "Do you want to live again, Ezra Carter? Do you want to be powerful?"
He stood still for a moment.
Then nodded, slowly at first—then with conviction.
"Yes," he said. "I want to do it."
Lilivora beamed. "Good. My darling vessel."
Ezra hesitated. "Wait… if I'm going to this new world, what's its magic system like?"
Her eyes gleamed with delight. "Curious already? I like that. Magic in that world, Ahrovia, is structured by elemental and conceptual cores. Every being is born with an affinity—fire, wind, shadow, light, time, even madness. They channel mana from their soul through runes, glyphs, and incantations—some refined, others raw."
"Combat magic, support magic, summoning, enchantments… there are schools and guilds devoted to every discipline. But what you'll wield…" she leaned in, voice a whisper, "...is older than their system. You'll wield hunger itself."
"Ahrovia," Ezra repeated. "That's the world?"
She nodded. "A realm in turmoil, ripe for devouring."
Then she raised her hand.
From her palm, something began to form.
A hovering orb, the size of a clenched fist, slowly materialized. Suspended mid-air, it pulsed with life.
A swirling mix of blackish violet, deep crimson, and obsidian shimmered like molten glass. The surface twisted with moving tendrils of hunger, glowing vein-like cracks, and faint divine runes that pulsed in rhythm.
Eyes blinked in and out of existence. Mouths opened in silence before vanishing again. Occasionally, tiny claws or ghostly flames flickered across it and disappeared. The orb breathed, lived, and watched.
Ezra stared, stunned. "What... is that?"
Lilivora's grin grew wider. "The Gluttonous Core. Your soul's companion. Your eternal appetite."
She gently pushed it forward.
The orb drifted toward Ezra.
He stiffened, breath held.
Survive, he thought. Grow strong. Devour everything.
It touched his chest.
A jolt. A surge.
It pierced through him like liquid fire—not flesh, but soul. He gasped.
Black-violet veins of energy exploded across his body like cracks in porcelain. His arms lit with glowing sigils. His eyes spiraled, flickering from gold to crimson.
Then he heard them.
Whispers.
"Devour... hunger... devour..."
The Gluttonous Core spoke—not in language, but in need.
Ezra clutched his chest. I can feel everything I've ever wanted... everything I've ever lost.
Warmth. Power. Vengeance. Meaning. And then—it was gone.
Replaced with... hunger.
Inside his soul, a circular sigil bloomed like a burning brand—a gnashing maw, faintly glowing.
It would brighten only when he fed.
Ezra fell to his knees, gasping. His muscles trembled, sweat beading down his face.
Lilivora stood above him, eyes filled with pleasure and hunger. "Beautiful," she whispered. "You wear it well."
Ezra felt the power fading. The voices hushed. His skin cooled. Crimson eyes dimmed to gold.
He exhaled slowly.
She stepped closer again. "How do you feel, my darling vessel?"
Ezra looked at his hands. "Like… something's changed. I feel hollow and full at the same time."
She laughed. "Ah, the first taste of power. I knew you would be perfect. You were always meant to be my vessel of gluttony."
Ezra nodded faintly, eyes still locked on the sigil flickering faintly under his skin. "There's... a hunger. But not for food."
Lilivora clapped her hands once, delighted. "Then you are ready."
He met her eyes. "I am."
She extended her hand, aura swirling around it like a storm of light and shadow.
Magic bloomed beneath Ezra's feet, a vast, glowing circle of divine runes and celestial glyphs. The symbols spun slowly, then faster, and the air around him pulsed with power.
"Good," Lilivora said with a playful tilt of her head. "Now go. Make chaos. Make meaning. And most of all—devour."
A column of radiant light enveloped him.
Ezra vanished in a brilliant flash.
Lilivora stood in the silence that followed, a soft smile on her lips.
"Make the world yours and devour it, my darling vessel."
A few minutes later, the same glowing circle appeared in the center of a forest glade. Birds scattered. Leaves shimmered with power.
And Ezra stepped forward from the light.
As the magic circle faded, he staggered slightly, catching his breath. The air was fresh—crisp and filled with the earthy scent of moss, bark, and distant wildflowers.
Towering trees surrounded him, their canopies thick and green, filtering sunlight into golden shafts. Strange birdcalls echoed, and somewhere nearby, a brook gurgled softly.
Ezra took it all in.
"This… is another world," he whispered.
He clenched his fist. "This is real."
He stepped forward slowly, leaves crunching beneath his boots.
"I don't know what waits for me here… but I'm not the same boy anymore."
He looked up at the light breaking through the branches.
"Let's begin my new adventure," he said aloud. "No more shadows. No more silence."
He turned, his steps growing more confident.
The forest accepted him in quiet welcome.
The forest around Ezra buzzed with quiet life. Birds chirped, leaves rustled, and somewhere in the distance, a waterfall murmured. Sunlight flickered through the thick canopy, casting golden beams across the moss-covered ground. Each step he took felt surreal. A new world. A new life. A new him.
He kept walking.
But something tugged at him.
I need to know more... I need to understand what I am now, he thought.
As he walked, Ezra muttered under his breath, "When I was a kid… I read so many damn manga with isekai characters. They always said one thing to check their skills…"
He stopped under a tall, ancient tree. The bark was dark and veined with green light.
Ezra raised an eyebrow and hesitated before mumbling, "Open status."
Violet light sparked in the air before him.
A glowing screen, translucent and shimmering with arcane symbols, unfolded from thin air. The edges pulsed softly as if alive.
Ezra leaned in.
Name: Ezra Carter
Age: 18
Race: Reincarnated Human
Level: 1
Class: Gluttony Mage
Titles: Reincarnated One, Chosen of Gluttony, Vessel of Hunger
Health Points: 110 / 110
Magic Points: 220 / 220
Strength: 10
Agility: 12
Endurance: 11
Mana: 28
Luck: 14
Charm: 9
Normal Skills: None
Ability Skills: None
Magic Skills: None
Unique Skill:
Devour (EX-Rank):
Consume living or non-living targets — including monsters, spells, weapons, curses, or souls.
Gain experience, absorb traits, and unlock new abilities.
Consuming certain entities may mutate stats or unlock hidden evolutions.
Warning: May trigger inner "Hunger" if overused.
Weapons: Mawfang Dagger
Items: —
Ezra's eyes widened.
"This… this is insane," he whispered. "Devour is broken. EX-rank? Consume anything? Spells? Souls?"
His thoughts raced.
So I don't just level up… I absorb what I kill. What I touch. I can become stronger just by feeding the hunger…
He clenched his fist, staring at the pulsing Devour description.
"But what's this about inner hunger?" he muttered. "If overused... could it… take over?"
His gaze lingered on the line: May mutate stats or unlock hidden evolutions.
"Sounds dangerous… and promising."
The violet screen faded as Ezra took a deep breath.
"I need to be careful. But this… this is real power. I can't waste it."
He resumed walking, his boots crunching through ferns and twigs.
The forest whispered around him. Somewhere, something howled faintly in the distance. Ezra smirked.
"Alright then," he said, voice low. "Let's see what this world has to offer."
His golden eyes flickered faintly. And he kept moving.
A few hours had passed since Ezra entered the forest, the vibrant world of Ahrovia unfolding around him with every step. Despite the awe-inspiring beauty of the land—glimmering leaves, multicolored butterflies, and faint trails of floating mana—Ezra's thoughts were elsewhere.
It's about time I test this Devour skill, he thought, adjusting his pace. But where the hell am I supposed to find a monster?
The forest was quiet in a strange, anticipatory way. The chirping of birds faded as the trees thickened and the light dimmed.
He walked carefully, scanning the underbrush, the trees, even the skies.
Nothing for hours. Either I'm unlucky, or everything smart is hiding from me.
Then—
Rustling.
Ezra paused mid-step.
More rustling.
Coming from the left, then the right. Then silence.
Alright… that's not the wind.
He slowly approached the dense brush, pushing aside a leafy branch.
"Come on out..." he whispered, uncertain if he wanted a fight or not.
Suddenly—
A blur of white and brown shot out from the bushes.
A horned rabbit.
It leapt straight at Ezra with shocking speed and ferocity.
"Oh shit!" he shouted.
The beast headbutted him in the chest.
Ezra flew backward, crashing to the ground with a hard thud. Leaves and dirt scattered.
Air knocked out of him, he gasped. "Ughh—damn..."
His vision swam as he clutched his ribs.
That thing hit like a truck. What is it, made of stone?!
He rolled over and pushed himself up, staggering slightly. His breath came in shallow bursts.
Across the clearing, the horned rabbit hopped in place, eyes locked on him.
Ezra narrowed his eyes, gritting his teeth. "Alright, bring it on, furball."
The rabbit crouched.
Launched.
Ezra sidestepped just in time, the horn missing him by inches.
Fast. Way faster than it looks. Its speed's no joke.
The rabbit turned and bounded again, zigzagging erratically before launching another charge.
Ezra dodged again, barely.
The attacks kept coming—headbutts, lunges, short dashes that ended in a whirl of dirt and claws. Ezra danced around them, his breathing growing heavier.
He ducked, rolled, and slid across the grass, sometimes barely avoiding the horned rushes. Each time the rabbit's horn swiped by, Ezra felt the gust of wind brush against his neck.
It's not just fast. It's relentless, he thought, skidding behind a tree to avoid another lunge.
He emerged just in time to dodge again, but not before the rabbit clipped his shoulder with a grazing blow. Ezra spun and hit the dirt with a grunt.
"Ugh, okay… That one hurt."
He winced, pulling himself up.
I can't keep this up. I need to fight back—
He remembered something.
His weapon.
Ezra threw his hand forward, eyes blazing.
"Come to me—Mawfang Dagger!!!"
A pulse of red lightning exploded in front of him. From that surge, black smoke spiraled outward, forming a tangible shape.
A sleek black dagger emerged, its jagged edge gleaming with danger. Veins of deep crimson pulsed along the blade like living blood vessels. The hilt looked carved from ancient bone, wrapped in worn, dark cloth. Faint breaths escaped the weapon, as if it inhaled the world around it.
Ezra caught the dagger midair.
"Damn... you're beautiful," he whispered. "And terrifying."
The horned rabbit shrieked and dashed forward again.
Ezra raised the Mawfang Dagger.
"Let's go!"
The rabbit collided with the blade, the horn scraping along its edge.
A dark aura erupted from the dagger. The pulse of red and violet energy flared around the rabbit briefly—like chains made of hunger—and then retreated, pulled back into the dagger.
Ezra stumbled, nearly falling again from the force, but this time, he remained upright.
The rabbit landed, dazed and staggering.
What the hell was that? That felt… different. Like the dagger took something.
A violet screen blinked open in front of him.
Devour Activated - Partial Assimilation
New Traits Acquired:
Beast Agility (Minor)
Horned Rush (Unstable)
Ezra blinked. "I'm copying its skills… while fighting?"
The rabbit shook itself and dashed again.
Ezra activated his new trait. "Beast Agility!"
His limbs lightened, reflexes sharpening.
The rabbit charged again.
Ezra flowed like wind.
Dodging to the left, leaping over a fallen branch, ducking under a twisting headbutt.
Each movement was fluid, fast, reactive.
The rabbit launched at him again.
Ezra twisted his body, using a tree to pivot around the rabbit's next charge. He dropped low and sliced at the creature's side but missed by a hair.
Its pattern's erratic. Wild. I can't rely on strength—I need to outmaneuver it.
Ezra rolled backward, narrowly avoiding another vicious jab.
He landed in a crouch, breathing hard.
"Let's finish this," he whispered.
The rabbit shrieked again and went for a final charge.
Ezra sidestepped. This time with grace.
As the rabbit lunged past, Ezra raised his dagger and slashed—clean across the beast's chest.
The horned rabbit stumbled, squealed, and collapsed.
Ezra stood over it, panting.
"I won..." he muttered. "First fight—complete."
He turned to walk away—then froze.
The goddess's voice echoed in his memory.
Devour anything. Feed. Grow.
Ezra turned back.
Extended his hand.
"Devour!"
A swirling mix of blackish violet and deep crimson erupted from his palm like a spiraling storm. The vortex grew rapidly, whirling like a tornado of hunger and energy.
The air grew heavy. The ground shook lightly as if acknowledging what was happening.
The vortex wrapped around the rabbit's body. Its form began to dissolve—first into light, then into dark mist, all of it pulled inward.
The process wasn't violent—it was precise, absolute, and eerily quiet. Like the universe itself was eating.
Ezra watched, mesmerized, as every trace of the rabbit vanished into the vortex.
Then the vortex snapped back into his hand like a reverse explosion.
Devour Complete.
Experience Gained: +110
Level Up! → Level 2
New Trait Unlocked: Predator Instinct (Lesser)
New Ability Available: Horned Rush (Stable)
Ezra stood still.
I leveled up. Just like that...
He looked at his hand. "So this is what it means… to devour."
The trees rustled softly. The wind shifted.
Ezra raised his head, letting the breeze wash over his sweat-covered face.
Then he smiled.
"I'm going to devour everything in this world."
He kept walking.
The sun dipped behind the canopy. Orange streaks painted the sky. Crickets began to chirp.
Ezra sighed. "Better find somewhere to sleep."
After some searching, he found a small, quiet clearing near a moss-covered tree. The earth was soft, and the air smelled faintly of flowers.
He set down his bag and gathered fallen branches.
A small circle of stones. Dry wood stacked in the center.
He struck two rocks together. Spark. Spark. Flicker.
A small flame was born.
Within minutes, a cozy fire glowed gently, warming the night.
Ezra sat back against the tree.
This world… is dangerous. But it's mine now.
He looked up at the stars peeking through the leaves.
"I started today in a classroom. And now… I've killed. I've devoured. I've survived."
A long sigh escaped him.
"Let's see where this path leads."
His eyes closed slowly.
The fire crackled beside him.
Ezra drifted into sleep.
To be continued...