My Gluttony System: I Devour God-Tier Talents-Chapter 38: Who is She ?

The maintenance corridor fell silent.

Kyrie was still there, his hands still stretched out, even as the heat slowly dissipated with the cool breeze that came with the clouds.

Kyrie’s white hair flowed along, even though his hands were still steady, his mind wasn’t.

At the last moment. The very last moment. He realized that Rudolf wasn’t necessarily evil.

He saw it all, the desperation in Rudolf’s eyes, the way his thoughts screamed for his daughter and wife.

This was a father trying to save his family. A husband forced to become a weapon.

And Saul had aimed him at Kyrie without a care in the word.

Kyrie left out a low sigh, bring back his hand that had stopped glowing.

He couldn’t fault Rudolf for his choice.

If he were in his shoes, if Negan or Edwin or Elaine were in trouble. He would do the same. He would cheat and kill to get them out.

He took a deep breath and steeled his resolve. What he did was necessary. It was either him or Rudolf.

He clenched his fists even as his eyes gleamed.

And I’ll always pick me.

This was the price for survival. It wasn’t pretty nor kind or remotely noble but it was necessary.

It was all about hard choices and even harder consequences .He and Rudolf made their choices.And he just happened to come out on top.

He began moving away but an after thought still hit him.

If only he had known earlier. Just maybe things might have ended differently. He might have helped or maybe get Negan to.

But at this point it was already too late. All that was left was regret and the ashes of Rudolf.

Kyrie exhaled slowly, his fingers brushing the scarf that was now wrapped around his neck.

It reminded and grounded him in his purpose.

"Fucking Saul." he murmured.

"I’m coming for you."

Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But eventually he would.

Kyrie left the area without a fuss. The nature of his attack and it’s blend with dusk almost made it impossible to discern. It was actually beautiful.

___

30 Minutes Later...

Kyrie was sitting on the bed in cabin number 5. It was quiet as the only thing that made noise was the guilt.

Though his emotions were settled, the feeling wasn’t gone. It wasn’t as sharp as before as the pang of acceptance was settling in by the second.

Kyrie had began packing at this time. His normal clothes were in the bag as he tried adjusting the suits that were delivered.

He didn’t want it to seem like he was moving with a lot.

The intercom suddenly came to life. It muffled initially before becoming clearer.

"Attention all passengers. We are now arriving in Astria. Please prepare for docking procedures. Welcome to Astria"

Kyrie paused, listening as the ship groaned softly.

It began to descend and through the porthole, he could see the first signs of the city below.

This was Astria.

He picked up his bags and headed for the exit. Kyrie walked out immediately they landed and this was definitely not Strevus.

While Strevus was industrial and dull with concrete floors, copper railings and the smell of oil and coal permeating the air.

Astria was clean. The station hadintricate brass designs in everything including the gas lamps.

The lighting was warm and easy on the eye. Brandishing the beautiful interior of the station.

The people around the station moved with refinement that Kyrie found unfamiliar.

Gentlemen wearing tailored waistcoats and top hats while carrying canes. The women wore corseted dresses with flowery hats.

Everything felt practiced by design. True Victorian elegance, Brett’s memories whispered.

Kyrie adjusted himself, taking a slow breath as he walked amidst the crowd. His white hair attracted glances as it always did.

He ignored them while sweeping through the area still taking in the scenery.

Strevus was all about survival. This right here was society.

Kyrie’s eyes was moving left to right as he stood totally oblivious of what to do next. He was about to take a turn when everything changed.

All the people around him began to move in slow motion.

A gentleman who was mid-step froze with one foot slightly raised.

An attendant on the side had hands hovering in the air, reaching for a passenger’s luggage.

Kyrie looked around and even the marshals and sentinels stationed at the exits faced the same fate, their bodies locked in place.

Kyrie’s head began to sweat.

What the hell? He thought, able to touch his sweaty temple.

What the fuck was happening. Is this another dream or was it the Architect? He couldn’t draw a conclusion.

He could still move while everyone else had become living statues, trapped in the moment.

Tick!

His eyes suddenly moved to the clock on the wall and he could swear he saw the hand on the clock moved and so it did again.

This wasn’t time stop.

Then what the hell is happening?

If time didn’t stop then he was either hallucinating or their minds stopped.

Their bodies froze and he was the only one here with the ability to move.

Whatever was happening was affecting minds if it wasn’t affecting time.

Why not me?

Was it because of Unbroken? He pondered while scanning the frozen crowd, and that’s when he saw her.

She walked through the frozen station like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Her white hair was long enough her back. Skin was paleand her lips were a deep, rosy red that stood out against the rest of her features.

She wore a black long coat that reached her knees with trousers of the same colour underneath with a simple red blouse. Her shoes clicking against marbled floors.

Everything about her seemed perfect but her eyes were the finishing touch.

They were purple, bordering violet

Kyrie was holding his breath as he saw her, he was awed by her appearance but he also realized it.

It was her. She was the one doing this.

This was her power and the scale of it was staggering. The weight of it, able to surpress hundreds.

He extended his Psyche Resonance cautiously reaching for her mind, expecting to hit a wall after all someone this powerful was definitely going to be like Negan who he couldn’t read but that never stopped him from trying and would never.

But to his surprise he felt something.

Something totally unexpected.

Anxiety

There was no fear or any ill intent. Just nervousness. The kind that came from being in a crowd for too long. from being seen or having to interact with people she didn’t know or cared to know.

She’s an introvert? Kyrie thought, his eyebrow raised.

The thought was so absurd given the power that she exuded.

Kyrie almost laughed.

While he read her. She had closed the distance with a smile on her face.

"Kyrie, I presume?"

Her voice was calm and soft.

"That’s me. And you are?" He asked trying to maintain composure.

"Desirae Vaughn."

She gestured toward the exit.

"I’ve been expecting you. Shall we?"

Immediately she spoke, she was already making her way to the exit. Not waiting for him to process.

Kyrie hesitated initially but soon picked his bags and chased behind with her.

Outside, the streets seemed normal. It was as if anyone that walked into the station were the ones walking into the pause.

Kyrie’s pulse was still racing as he followed her and they arrived at a car parked on the curb.

The car was low and its frame polished and trimmed with brass. The engine still alive with a soft violet glow pulsing from beneath the hood.

Neteros?

Desirae opened the door and entered.

"Get in. I’ll explain on the way."

She said opening the door to the passenger seat from the inside. Kyrie entered, only when ordered to as he placed his bags on his feet.

From the interior, he believed this car was the equivalent to a sports car in the real world.

The moment Kyrie entered. The car jerked and soon entered the road. A faint smoke on Desirae.6

Kyrie quickly glanced back.

But the very second they left the curb, the frozen crowd were released.

He saw the people walking out of the station as he turned back to Desirae again.

"You have to tell me, What the fuck was that"

"I slowed their perception," she said, her tone casual.

"Their minds couldn’t process the notion of movement, so they stopped. It’s much simpler than time control."

"That’s not simple." He blurted out.

She glanced at him with a knowing smile.

"It is, for me."

Kyrie leaned back his still mind racing. While he still kept eyes on her. He’d been scanning her the entire time reading her emotions and she’d let him.

But why ?

A voice suddenly slipped into his head. It was smooth and almost didn’t intrude.

*You like what you see?*

Kyrie almost leapt from his seat in shock.

"What?"

Desirae didn’t look at him, eyes on the road but her smile grew.

"You’ve been scanning me since I appeared. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?"

Kyrie was actually perplexed. What happened to Unbroken

She was aware how his mind was guarded.

She felt it the moment she saw him confirming what Negan said about Daphne.

But there was a loophole only someone like her knew and could exploit.

"The moment you reached out with your ability, you created a link between us. It might be fragile and small but it was enough"

Kyrie’s eyes widened as he understood but asked anyways to confirm.

"Enough for what?"

"For someone at my level to reach back."

She glanced at him briefly.

"Once you touch my mind, I can touch yours. Unless you actively block me." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

*Damn it.* Kyrie was exasperated

"So every time I scan someone—"

"You’re vulnerable. Briefly." She completed.

She sharply turned a corner giving the lesson as the city passed by.

"Against weaklings, there is no issue. But with your equals or superiors?"

She shrugged slightly,

"That’s a risk."

Kyrie exhaled slowly as it all fell into place.

"Lesson one: Know your enemy before you probe,"

Desirae said, her tone definitely teasing.

Kyrie might have figured it out but he also felt like he was in a box.

He looked back at Desirae. She was powerful, so powerful she felt like a nuke without passcodes when compared to Negan.

But she was also human in a way. She was nervous, proving she wasn’t all about her power alone.

Negan trusted her.

Maybe he could too!