Gluttony's Overflow – The Sun's Judgment
Act 3. Northern Continent, Arkteera (6)
The most important gimmick in Gluttony, the Gluttony Legion Commander, was its satiety stacks. Every set interval, Gluttony would stack one layer of the Satiety buff. With each stack, its attack power and health regeneration increased. And when those satiety stacks hit 10 layers, it unleashed Overflow, hurling filth across the battlefield and polluting the ground. Stepping on that contaminated land hurt like hell and applied a debilitating debuff, making it a real pain to deal with. As time passed, the safe ground dwindled, turning it into a raid that demanded top-tier physical prowess.
Unlike Lilith, where every major gimmick required perfect teamwork, this was the complete opposite—everyone had to fend for themselves and survive. That was Gluttony. For me, confident in my physical skills, it was definitely easier than Lilith. It should have been...
"What the—no, why is it this fast!!"
I twisted my body mid-air to dodge the countless arms flying at me, using my shield to deflect their trajectories and minimize mana consumption. It hit me again how different the situation was now. Back then, with the raid party, aggro was spread out. But right now, our "party" was just Marian and me.
And for some reason—probably because of Marian's holy power—the attacks mostly came my way. Sure, the concentrated aggro let Marian's holy power shred its health at an insane rate, but dodging was no joke.
"F...uck!"
Gluttony's Satiety has reached maximum.
Gluttony vomits up everything it has eaten!
All sorts of filth started splattering everywhere. It was a gruesome sight that would turn the stomach of anyone with a weak constitution.
"Ngh...! Saintess!"
"Got it! Purification!"
After the first Overflow, aggro started bouncing back to Marian too. She purified the inner areas where it was inconvenient to move, but couldn't reach the outer edges. As a hero, Marian blocked Gluttony's attacks with ease.
With some breathing room on aggro, I started landing hits here and there. That's when Gluttony's health dropped to around 30%—and shit hit the fan.
Those magi slimes we hadn't fully cleaned up were wriggling.
"Wait... those...!"
Sure enough, the magi slimes split apart and lunged at Gluttony. Its grayish skin began turning inky black, and cloaked in magi like armor, it moved even faster.
"For real, cut the bullshit!!"
Magi corrosion wasn't some debuff I could fully resist with status resistance. A little was fine, but taking a direct hit from those magi-infused attacks? Even I wouldn't walk away unscathed.
In that phase, I ended up dying a few times.
...
After reaching the snowy mountain peak, Marian locked eyes with the witch named Noel. Her silver pupils shifted to gold, revealing all the efforts she'd poured in.
The witch who grinned even after Gluttony pierced her belly in a surprise attack. The one whose head flew off while fighting the black slime that made the beast even stronger.
Marian felt sorrow and pity for her efforts and sacrifices, tears welling up, but at the same time, she was curious.
"Why... why go that far?"
The witch looked shocked, then smiled bitterly before speaking.
"Because... someone has to do it."
Ah... so she's the one truly worthy of being called a saintess.
In Marian's heart, Noel's evaluation soared to the top.
Noel is working this hard... What have I been doing, carrying the hero title?
Marian began reflecting on her past attitude.
"...Noel, thank you."
"Huh? For what?"
"Just... thank you for helping me realize what I need to do."
...
Saintess Marian's favorability has greatly increased.
Saintess Marian's favorability has greatly increased.
Honestly, when Marian spoke like she remembered the previous loops, I was a bit shocked. But in this systemic environment, there was no way she could recall past loops. Anyway, her favorability skyrocketed out of nowhere, leaving me feeling weirded out.
Saintess Marian: Trust (50%)
...How the hell did it jump this high??
I figured good was good and challenged it again with Marian. This was, what... the 29th? 30th? I lost count after the tenth.
The change was Marian's atmosphere—more resolute than ever. Taking in the now-familiar scenery, we faced Gluttony once more.
"...Yeah, we've come this far. No backing down now."
Gluttony's myriad arms lunged at me again. I couldn't dodge them all perfectly. In situations where physics left no space, even I had to take some hits.
Dodge what I can, graze what I can't.
Small wounds were fine—Marian could heal from range. Slashes appeared on my face and waist.
But thanks to her heals, they vanished without a trace.
Calmly evading, I began chanting.
"Curse: Decrease Recovery"
"Curse: Flame"
"Curse Explosion!"
I severed Gluttony's arms with magic after applying the recovery decrease and flames. Marian supported my spells, steadily adding holy damage.
"Saintess! I'll hold it—deal with the slimes!"
Marian nodded, switching targets to the magi slimes behind it. She condensed her holy power and blasted them. The slimes writhed, splitting and scattering, but she contained the spread.
"Because of you...! Do you have any idea how many people you've killed? Just die already...!"
After sustained holy blasts, the slimes shrank and eventually dissolved.
"Noel! Slimes are gone!"
"Good... job...!"
I was barely dodging Gluttony's assaults.
Gluttony's health has fallen below 10%.
Final Struggle begins!
...
The Final Struggle—aka the Thrash Pattern—was the gimmick that triggered the first time Gluttony's health dipped below 10%. Its health regen hit zero, but attack speed and satiety stack rate doubled. It spammed arm patterns relentlessly, making already tough dodges brutal. No wonder in Season 1, Gluttony was dubbed the "Grave of Physical God Wannabes."
I dodged the arms flying faster at me, pushing my physical limits.
Both legs first, then right arm, torso. Dodge in sequence.
I twisted my slim waist every which way, desperately avoiding solid hits. From afar, my movements looked like artistry. Beyond mere visual reaction—it bordered on prediction. I poured mana into my eyes and brain for enhancement, and concentrated it into specific body parts mid-air for control.
Anyone seeing it for the first time would swear I was a dancer or fighter, not a witch.
Marian wrapped herself in a holy shield to block, but as a witch whose specialty wasn't defense, I had no choice but to evade.
Gluttony's Satiety has reached maximum.
Gluttony vomits up everything it has eaten!
"Haste!!"
My body accelerated, darting to filth-free ground to reengage.
"Curse: Debilitate!"
"Curse: Weaken!!"
Using Curse Explosion here would be amateurish. Sure, damage, but the shortened debuff time wouldn't help stall. Plus, my mana was nearly gone. Marian blocked and chipped away, but we were at our limit.
"Haa... heuk...!"
Overexertion was wearing me down.
Gluttony Legion Commander, Gluttony (7%)
Down to 7%—just hold on a bit longer. But cruelly, the debuffs expired. Exhausted, I couldn't dodge Gluttony's quickened strike.
"Guhk!"
Its claw gripped me tight, crushing down.
Crack-crunch!
"K...aaagh...!"
Bones grinding throughout my body, I glared at Gluttony with fury.
"Fuck... this is fucking brutal..."
I glanced at Marian below one last time. My expression softened into a smile.
"You're... too late, Saintess."
"Let go of Noel!!!"
Gluttony's face twisted in shock in an instant.
"7th Hierarchy Holy Ritual: Judgement of the Sun!"
On the magi-corrupted, dark snowy peak, a new sun rose, illuminating all of Arkteera. Unable to withstand the radiant light, Gluttony's arms crumbled first, and the sun blazed until its form vanished.
Years later, those who witnessed it all said the same thing: A new sun had risen over Velanova.