Initially, it was the wonder - like many of the reincarnation genre, it places the perspective of the reader into a fantasy world. Open the wardrobe, and see yourself as the main character. This inviting sensation is difficult to get rid of, but as the books pile on, the effect wears away. As the main character slowly gets accustomed to their new world, so do you.
The sense of wonder then becomes replaced with the traditional elements of fantasy novels - epic battles, tales of love, tragedy, those fantastic elements that are too difficult to express in other genres, but flow so easily in fantasy.
Eventually, even this sense of fantasy wears off, but the author replaces it with a sense of connection. At this point, you've become so endeared with the characters, where their mannerisms become so frequently and well described that they almost feel like old friends. You feel a familial connection with the main character and read on to see what antics these vast and memorable cast of characters are up to today.
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And, finally, the author cranks on the tension and sends us off with an epic battle between an omnipresent force - a faceless god, a nameless shadow. The author, knowing that his project is nearing its end, pushes with all his might to give us one final push into the epic, so that he may wrap it up and leave us satisfied. Within this backdrop, Rudeus, with his family and lineage at his side, dies and passes on. His last conversation with his foe feels less like a victor vanquishing evil, and more like a tired yet satisfied author saying farewell to his readers.
