Devourer of Worlds

When Karuizawa Kei learned that Kushida Kikyo actually wanted her to confess everything to Wu Qiao, she panicked instantly, her heart hammering uncontrollably against her ribs.

Although that guy Wu Qiao was usually unfathomable and seemed to have already peered into many of her secrets, having him know and confessing to him herself were two completely different things!

It was like being stripped naked and standing under a spotlight; the sheer shame and terror made her instinctively want to retreat.

Watching Karuizawa Kei's face drain of all color as her eyes darted around, Kushida Kikyo did not rush her. Instead, she put on the persona of a heart-to-heart confidante. She sighed softly, her tone carrying just the right amount of sympathy and helplessness: "Karuizawa-san, your relationship with Wu-kun—isn't it just like mine, a forced cooperation?"

Karuizawa Kei snapped her head up, looking at Kushida in disbelief.

Kushida Kikyo continued her gentle, persuasive prodding, her voice soft yet every word a piercing blow: "I'm doing this to help you, you know. You've seen Wu Qiao's ruthlessness and his calculating nature with your own eyes, haven't you? While I hate to judge others with the worst intentions, the facts are right before us. Between you and me, surely you're the one most easily discarded, aren't you?"

This sentence was like a sharp dagger, precisely piercing the most fragile line of defense in Karuizawa Kei's heart. She bit her lower lip hard, her hands unconsciously clenching the hem of her skirt.

"So," Kushida Kikyo struck while the iron was hot, her gaze so sincere it seemed as if it could melt, "instead of waiting to be thrown away like trash, why not take the initiative to hand over information and confess to him? Show him your loyalty and harmlessness. That way, you'll be safer, won't you?"

Kushida Kikyo perfectly packaged herself as a warm-hearted ally helping a fellow victim, as if her suggestion were entirely for the sake of Karuizawa Kei's safety.

Under Kushida Kikyo's highly inflammatory words, the scales in Karuizawa Kei's heart began to tilt violently.

Fear, anxiety, and that complex, fearful emotion she held for Wu Qiao intertwined. Finally, she asked with a trembling voice and a hint of a sob: "If I confess, will he let me go?"

Seeing her wavering, Kushida Kikyo gently reassured her: "Don't worry, Karuizawa-san. I will always be behind you, supporting you."

As it turned out, Kushida Kikyo's seemingly heart-to-heart persuasion was far more effective than expected.

The night deepened, and the bustling dormitory fell into silence. In her own bedroom, the young girl curled up on her bed, unable to fall asleep.

She stared at the ceiling, replaying Kushida Kikyo's words from the day in her mind, falling into a deep struggle. Did she really have to go and confess everything to Wu Qiao?

The room was lit only by the moonlight filtering through the window, barely outlining the furniture. Karuizawa Kei slowly sat up, her fingertips moving uncontrollably toward her waist. Through the thin fabric of her pajamas, she gently stroked that hideous scar.

The rough texture traveled up her fingertips, and those unbearable memories of the past seemed to be reactivated in this moment.

That scar reminded her every second of how real and cruel the malice and bullying she had suffered were. Back in junior high, she was just such a weakling—someone who could be sacrificed and trampled upon at any moment.

Between you and me, surely you're the one most easily discarded, aren't you?

Kushida Kikyo's seemingly gentle yet incredibly cruel words from the day echoed in her ears once more.

Yes, apart from this decent-looking skin and her blustering facade, what other chips did she have?

If she continued to hide things like before, the moment Wu Qiao felt she had lost her utility, she would undoubtedly be discarded without mercy like trash, perhaps even repeating the same mistakes and falling back into the abyss.

Fear surrounded her like a tide, but deep within this suffocating terror, a faint desire to survive grew wildly. Kushida was right; rather than passively waiting for judgment, it was better to proactively hand over her own weakness.

Karuizawa Kei took a deep breath, her fingers digging hard into the scar on her waist. The eyes that were always filled with a touch of arrogance and unease gradually gathered a hint of determination.

To avoid being discarded again, to survive, she had to take this gamble.

The morning sun spilled onto the playground as Ayanokoji Kiyoha quietly observed Wu Qiao's morning workout. After watching for only a moment, she made a judgment in her heart: this intensity of training had completely lost its value for Wu Qiao's improvement.

Wu Qiao was now deliberately suppressing his performance during running and physical training, fearing that a little extra effort would break some kind of balance. For him, this training was nothing more than a basic warm-up.

Wu Qiao himself already knew the answer; his current physical strength had long since exceeded the limits of humanity.

Although her heart was full of curiosity, Ayanokoji Kiyoha's exquisite face remained expressionless, her eyes as calm as a bottomless lake, as if all this defiance of common sense had nothing to do with her.

During the break after the morning workout, Ichinose Honami approached without any guard. Looking at the two people who had just finished their exercise and then at her own sweat-drenched state, she couldn't help but sigh with a touch of discouragement: "Compared to you two, I really am the bottom of the barrel."

However, compared to Ayanokoji Kiyoha's hidden scrutiny, Ichinose Honami's curiosity was clearly more direct and enthusiastic. She blinked those clear, large eyes and couldn't help but ask: "Wu-kun, I'm really curious—where does your strength come from? Do you have some unique training technique? It feels like you never get tired."

Faced with Ichinose Honami's pure, inquisitive gaze, Wu Qiao felt a sudden pang of guilt. He couldn't exactly tell her that he had a system in his head and that his power came from a Path, could he?

His brain raced, quickly editing a half-truthful excuse before he spoke with a straight face: "It was bestowed upon me by the Devourer of Worlds. Just consider it as me worshipping a deity and receiving a god's favor."

Wu Qiao added silently in his heart: The Devourer of Worlds was indeed another name for the Aeon of Gluttony. Most of his current, terrifying, and unreasonable physical strength was indeed thanks to the Path of Gluttony. This answer wasn't exactly a lie.

Ichinose Honami clearly didn't buy this nonsense. Her eyes, always filled with kindness, blinked, and a helpless, wry smile tugged at the corners of her mouth: "Wu-kun, you're joking again, aren't you? Worshipping gods and such—it sounds too fantastical. Even though we're on good terms, it's hard for me to be convinced by such a perfunctory excuse."

Although she was gentle and willing to trust others, she was by no means a naive girl who could be fooled by a random fabrication. Faced with such an obviously evasive answer, she instinctively felt that Wu Qiao was deliberately avoiding something.

Ayanokoji Kiyoha, listening quietly from the side, also showed no sign of being swayed. Her dark brown eyes remained calm and waveless, as if watching a clumsy improvisation.

"The Devourer of Worlds... worshipping a god?" Ayanokoji Kiyoha repeated the words silently in her heart.

Attributing power to "faith" was likely just a universal excuse used to shut the mouths of the curious.

Wu Qiao looked at the two girls who hadn't been fooled at all and felt a sense of alarm. He had originally thought this half-truthful, slightly edgy explanation would get him through, or at least stop them from digging further.

"Alright, alright," Wu Qiao spread his hands, deciding to change tactics and speaking in a half-joking tone, "since you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do. After all, some secrets wouldn't be believed even if I told you. Let's just say I'm a freak with innate talent."

Ichinose Honami looked at Wu Qiao's "unfazed" attitude and couldn't help but chuckle: "Wu-kun, you really are mysterious. But since you don't want to say, I won't force you. It's just..."

She paused, her expression turning serious: "If you ever need help or have any troubles, remember to come to me anytime."

Ayanokoji Kiyoha didn't speak, simply shifting her gaze from Wu Qiao toward the rising sun in the distance. She knew very well that the mysteries surrounding Wu Qiao went far beyond this, but she didn't need to uncover every single secret.