Circle of Inevitability

740 Depriver

"Glutton?" Lumian said approvingly, "Quite the image."

Ludwig ignored Lumian's mockery and continued with the brief introduction, "At this Sequence, hunger truly becomes ingrained in our bodies, allowing us to evolve around it."

"What kinds of evolutions are there?” Lumian was concerned that Ludwig would only mention this about Gluttons, just as he had described the Tramp Sequence. Therefore, he took the initiative to inquire.

Ludwig paused for a few seconds to swallow his food.

Then, he stuffed a small piece of lemon cake into his mouth and replied in a muffled manner, "Internal organs that are better suited for digesting food and absorbing energy. Stronger, more powerful teeth, a bite force and appetite that exceed normal limits...

"This will help us obtain different abilities from food more efficiently. We won't have to worry about being affected by the toxins, viruses, and bacteria that food brings."

“In other words, even if it's highly toxic, as long as you consume it with your mouth and treat it as food, you won't die from the poison?" Lumian suddenly felt that Ludwig would make a suitable assistant for Apothecaries.

Ludwig took a sip of milk and shook his head.

And you're not eating random stuff? Lumian scoffed inwardly.

At the same time, he inwardly sighed.

This guy is quite honest. He's indeed like a child most of the time. He actually forgot to protest that I had asked additional questions.

Ludwig set down the milk bottle and picked up a box of cookies.

Amidst the munching sounds, he continued, "The corresponding Sequence 7 is Gourmet.

"At this level, our digestion and eating abilities will improve further. We can discern which ingredients are edible, which are inedible, which ingredients can bring about special effects, and which ingredients need to be combined with others."

Lumian thought seriously before asking, "Is extracting the corresponding information from the consumed food one of a Gourmet's abilities?"

This ability had helped Lumian a great deal.

Ludwig, donning a thick yellow cotton nightcap, nodded obediently. "Yes."

He didn't elaborate on the corresponding abilities.

"Although a Gourmet is useful, I can sense that at this Sequence, you lack sufficient combat strength. Yes, perhaps Tramp will grant you a certain level of street fighting abilities," Lumian commented from his own perspective.

Ludwig didn't argue, nor did he bother to. How could delicacies already in his mouth or subsequent delicacies be less important than what he was talking about?

He peeled a lollipop and placed it in his mouth, a hint of enjoyment on his face.

"Beyond that is what you call Sequence 6—Chef."

"I thought it was Bartender," Lumian teased.

Ludwig pondered seriously and said, "Chefs cover a wider range. It's not like they can only make cocktails."

Lumian nodded pensively.

“Is a Chef's ability to use special ingredients to create mystical dishes, pastries, drinks, and cocktails?"

Ludwig had displayed this ability numerous times.

Ludwig couldn't help but reveal a smug expression.

"That's right. Every Chef has different characteristics and abilities due to the ingredients they've obtained and the food they've prepared.

"Chefs have one thing in common: they have excellent skills in processing ingredients. This includes finding weaknesses and techniques like cutting, chopping, and slicing."

Only at this Sequence would one from the Gourmet pathway truly possess combat strength...

However, a Chef is similar to a Contractee. Their actual combat strength depends on their synergy of abilities. The upper limit is very high, and the lower limit is very low... Lumian, thinking of a Contractee, asked curiously, "Is there a limit to the number of permanent effects a Chef can obtain through various mystical foods?"

As for the negative effects, Lumian, who had eaten Ice Lemon Fish fillet before, had a deep understanding.

Depending on the ingredients and finished products, mystical dishes or cocktails brought different negative effects, but they were significantly weaker than those a Contractee experienced.

"No." Ludwig quickly shook his head. "As long as you fully embrace hunger and greed, there won't be an upper limit."

This upper limit is a little crazy... However, this also means that there's no limit to the number of negative effects. Even if each one is far inferior to the ones brought about by a Contractee, they will undergo a qualitative change after stacking... Lumian pondered for a moment and looked at Ludwig, who had roughly finished his meal.

"That first time we met, when I saw you chowing down on rats, were you just a Glutton or a Gourmet?"

Ludwig didn't try to hide anything.

"Gourmet."

Indeed, he'd been critiquing the dishes I served him.. Lumian pondered for a moment, then said, "Did you recover to Chef status during that Batings Black Insect incident?"

Ludwig curtly confirmed it.

“I was just short to begin with. Eating a Batings Black Insect was all it took to advance."

"What's the next Sequence?" Lumian steered the conversation back on track.

Ludwig dredged up the memories.

"It's Depriver."

"Depriver?" Lumian immediately thought of the Deprivation Bullet he'd gotten from Jebus.

Could this be a transaction from the cult of the Gourmet pathway?

Ludwig thought Lumian wanted him to explain the Depriver's abilities. He recounted, "A Depriver can strip one to three abilities from a target for a period of time. If they then consume part of the target's flesh, they permanently gain one of those abilities, and the target permanently loses it unless they drink a potion again or kill me—no, the corresponding Depriver.

"At Depriver, our recipes get way more range. A ton of formerly inedible things become food.

We can consume things we previously couldn't.”

"Give me an example?" Lumian wasn't sure his interpretation matched Ludwig's intentions.

Ludwig looked at him and offered two examples.

"Corruption to a certain degree, as well as fireballs, lightning, and other energy forms.”

They can eat way more dangerous stuff and consume things that shouldn't even be considered food... Lumian thought of an enemy he'd faced at the Hostel and something Ludwig just mentioned. He asked for confirmation, "So that ability to process ingredients includes those ingredients too?"

"Yes," Ludwig admitted candidly.

Lumian pulled the matte Deprivation Bullet from his Traveler's Bag and set it on the dining table.

"This is from a Depriver?"

Ludwig's eyes lit up.

"Yes."

He said anxiously, "Can I... can I use it as a prize? I don't want that Beyonder characteristic anymore!"

"I think Beyonder characteristics are way more valuable," Lumian deliberately provoked him.

Ludwig looked sad and said reluctantly, "But I can only choose one.

"I can't actually consume Beyonder characteristics yet. I can only use them as ingredients for now." Is that right... Lumian eyed Ludwig and organized his thoughts.

“How much more do you need to eat to recover to Depriver?"

"The further along I go, the harder it gets. I can't just eat a ton. I need higher quality, higher energy foods." Ludwig pointed at the Deprivation Bullet. "I'd need at least 200 of these bullets to reach Depriver."

Lumian chuckled and whispered devilishly, "What if you ate the Depriver who made this bullet?"

"I could recover immediately!" Ludwig's eyes lit up.

Lumian’s smile widened.

"You don't seem to have strong offensive abilities. I can help you get the stuff to capture the corresponding Beyonders, but you gotta listen to me and do what I say before I become a demigod. We need to be totally in sync.

"That's my promise. You gonna hold up your end of the deal?"

Ludwig hesitated a moment before reluctantly nodding.

"Deal."

Phew, stay calm... This is just the start of the "taming," not the end. Long process ahead...

Lumian suppressed his smile and asked curiously, "Who were you following back then?

"No need for the full title. Just call them something like 'the Great Mother."

Ludwig was caught off guard.

His expression shifted a few times before tears streamed down his face. He wailed like a child.

"I-l don't remember!

"I've forgotten. I've forgotten everything!”

Hearing his cries, Lugano emerged from the guest room in a thick coat.

The Doctor immediately noticed Lumian and asked in confusion, "Why is he crying?"

Is this really the terrifying cannibal from the Dream Festival?

Lumian chuckled in response.

"I showed him delicacies but didn't give him any."

"Alright..." Lugano looked between them in confusion before retreating back to his room.

Lugano's brief appearance made Lumian remember an item, and he had a dangerous thought.

He pulled the remains of Omebella's umbilical cord from his Traveler's Bag and "consulted" Ludwig, who'd gradually stopped sobbing.

"What dishes and cocktails could you make with this?"

That umbilical cord left behind by the Great Mother's Child of God was thought to be just an ingredient for charms, mystical items, and Beyonder weapons. But now Lumian figured a Gourmet might see it differently.

Looking at Omebella's umbilical cord remains, Ludwig licked his lips.

"It could make three types of food with different mystical effects.

"One food would completely cure infertility.”

"Don't need that," Lumian said in amusement. "What about the other two foods?"

Ludwig said professionally, "One grants potent self-healing abilities, though inferior to a Vampire's.

"And another..."

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