The scent of blood was always thicker underground.
Elijah Vale lay sprawled across the damp floor of the Forgotten Catacombs, his body broken, his sword shattered, and his heart colder than the dungeon air. Runes etched along the walls pulsed faintly, casting shadows like claws. The walls were close—too close—and the silence was not the peaceful kind. It was the kind that hummed just before a predator pounced.
He heard their footsteps retreating, distant but deliberate.
"You were never meant for this world," Kael had said, his voice coated with condescension masked as pity. "You're a support class with no utility. No offense, no defense. No point."
Serena hadn't even met his gaze. She just gripped Kael's hand tighter, like it had always belonged there.
Elijah had watched in silence, blood leaking from his mouth, as the people he'd bled for, laughed with, loved—walked away without a shred of remorse.
It wasn't just betrayal.
It was mockery.
And it wasn't the first time.
His eyes fluttered shut, fatigue claiming him. But even as the darkness crept in, the bitterness in his soul burned brighter.
He had known pain. Known rejection.
Born a commoner in a kingdom that worshiped power, Elijah's "support-type" Blessing—Echo Sigil—was considered a joke. It could amplify another person's skill for five seconds once per hour. Five seconds. That was it. No destructive magic. No healing. No defense.
His parents had died in debt. His sister was sold to slavers. And Elijah had clawed his way through guild rejections and training halls just to get into Kael's party—the golden boy of the Hero Academy.
For what?
So Serena could leave him the moment Kael started looking her way?
So he could be sacrificed the moment he became inconvenient?
"I… should've let them die in the Wyrm's Nest," Elijah croaked, a dry laugh escaping his lips.
That's when it happened.
A pulse.
A sudden jolt through his spine, as if the dungeon itself had reacted to his hatred.
> [Sin Detected: Wrath]
Threshold Reached. Initializing Host Bonding…
Error. Host Soul Fragmented. Initiating Reintegration.
Reconstructing System Core… 23%... 67%... 100%
Welcome, Elijah Vale. You have been chosen.
His vision flickered.
In front of him appeared a translucent interface—red, slick, and pulsing like a living organism. Words materialized in a script he somehow instinctively understood.
> [You have awakened the Sin System.]
Primary Sin: Wrath
Sub-Sins: Lust, Envy, Pride (Locked)
System Purpose: Subvert, Corrupt, Claim
Power grows not from virtue, but from conquest.
Corruption Path unlocked: Claiming of the Loved
Elijah stared, unsure if the system was a hallucination born from blood loss. But the energy—the hunger—that now coursed through his veins was real.
His body began to change.
Skin reknit. Bones snapped into place. Muscles surged with newfound strength. His Echo Sigil, once dim on his forearm, now shimmered crimson.
But it wasn't just healed flesh.
It was evolution.
> [Skill Unlocked: Sin Echo]
Amplify the strength, loyalty, or lust of a target... and twist it permanently.
Effect multiplies when used on those emotionally attached to others.
The implications sank in.
"Wait... Are you telling me… I can steal people's emotions? Break their bonds?"
> Affirmative.
The stronger their connection to another, the greater your reward when it's corrupted.
Do unto others what they did to you. Tenfold.
A grin tugged at Elijah's lips—dark, slow, and sinister.
He rose to his feet, breath steady, body buzzing with potential.
"Kael…" he muttered. "Serena…"
They had left him for dead. Stolen his love, spat on his loyalty.
They thought he was weak.
But now?
He had something better than strength.
He had permission.
Elijah stood alone in the dungeon, the broken shell of his former self shed like the husk of a discarded insect.
The Sin System pulsed softly in the back of his mind, not overwhelming him, but ever-present—like a heartbeat that wasn't his.
> Quest Unlocked: First Claim
Target: Serena Dawnlight
Relationship Status: Former Lover (80% loyalty to Kael)
Claim Reward: Increased Charisma, Lust Echo (Rank F)
Bonus: If Claim is performed under Kael's presence, Sin Echo Efficiency +200%
He blinked. "Bonus? For breaking her in front of him?" he thought, equal parts horrified and exhilarated.
But he wasn't a naïve little support-class boy anymore.
He wasn't here to ask for forgiveness or understanding.
He was here to take.
Every kiss Kael had stolen.
Every soft moan that should've been his.
Every night Serena chose someone else.
He would take it all back.
No… he'd ruin them.
Elijah opened his system menu and studied his current stats:
> Name: Elijah Vale
Class: [Sinbound]
Level: 1
Sin Points: 0
Skills:
• Sin Echo (Lv1) – Temporarily twists a bond of love, loyalty, or trust.
• Hunger of Wrath – Deal bonus damage to those who have betrayed you.
Claim Count: 0
Next Unlock: After First Claim (Sin Trait: Corruptive Aura)
"Claim Count, huh?" he muttered, chuckling. "So that's the name of the game."
But he had a problem.
He had no weapons. No allies. No exit.
This dungeon was filled with corrupted undead, labyrinthine paths, and death traps—and he'd just been left to rot at its deepest level.
But now, he had power. And with it… clarity.
> System Tip: Nearby target detected. Lesser Wraith, Level 3.
Bonus Objective: Feed on the hatred of the dying. +1 Sin Point per execution.
As if summoned, a slithering shadow crept toward him from the edge of the chamber.
A humanoid figure emerged, its face stretched grotesquely, the sockets where eyes should have been oozing a black mist. A Wraith. A remnant of one who died with regret.
It screeched and lunged.
Elijah didn't move. Not yet. His instincts screamed to run, but he didn't.
> [Sin Echo: Active]
The world slowed.
A red aura surged from Elijah's fingers as he pointed toward the Wraith. Its movements faltered for half a heartbeat—just long enough.
He sidestepped.
Then grabbed a splinter of his old sword lodged in the stone floor.
With a scream more primal than planned, Elijah drove the jagged edge through the Wraith's eye socket and twisted.
The thing screeched, flailed—then dissolved into smoke.
> [Wraith defeated. +2 EXP. +1 Sin Point.]
Sin Progress: 1/100.
Breathing heavy, Elijah stood, his hands soaked in ash and ectoplasm.
He didn't feel horror.
He felt alive.
"Good," he said, gripping the shard. "Now, let's see if you bastards are still camping in the upper levels."
---
He climbed slowly, hiding in shadows, scavenging scraps from the corpses of monsters and forgotten adventurers. Every small battle, every decision, fed the Sin System. It rewarded him for cruelty, cleverness, and corruption.
Two hours later, he was near the dungeon's third level—where Kael's party had last set camp.
He spotted the faint flicker of magical wards on a cave wall. A protective shield. Serena's handiwork. He recognized her signature—weaving defensive enchantments into a self-repairing dome.
He'd once helped her refine that very spell.
Now, he walked toward it like a wolf to a den.
Inside, they sat by a small fire.
Kael—blond, glowing, draped in golden armor—laughed arrogantly as he bragged about the "clean kill" they made earlier.
And Serena?
She laughed along, hand resting on Kael's thigh.
His Serena.
The same girl who once swore she'd marry Elijah.
The same one who cried in his arms the night her brother died.
The same one who told him, "I love you. I don't care about your blessing."
A voice hissed in his mind, colder than death.
> Claim her. Twist her. Make her yours.
Elijah didn't need convincing.
But he needed a plan.
He observed them quietly from the shadows, studying their movements, their weaknesses, the subtle gaps in their magic.
He didn't have strength. Not yet.
But he had the element of surprise—and a system that rewarded manipulation.
It was time to set the bait.
The fire inside the ward crackled, casting long shadows across Kael's armor. He sat with his back to the entrance, lazily sharpening his gleaming sword—Dawnbreaker, an artifact only wielded by "Chosen Heroes."
Serena was seated opposite him, humming softly as she mixed potions. Her fingers moved with practiced elegance—she was a prodigy in alchemy and enchantment. Kael didn't seem to notice, too focused on admiring his reflection in the blade.
Elijah watched them in silence from behind a jagged rock just outside the perimeter of the camp. His thoughts buzzed, not with anger anymore—but calculation.
He couldn't walk in and attack them. Kael was strong—too strong for a direct confrontation. Even with the Sin System, Elijah's stats weren't high enough to fight head-on.
But that wasn't the game he wanted to play.
System Prompt: Emotional Link detected – Serena Dawnlight → Elijah Vale (Residual Attachment: 9%)
Warning: Bond decaying. Last interaction: betrayal.
Opportunity: Emotional Vulnerability
Suggested Action: Contact target alone. Seed corruption.
A smirk curved Elijah's lips.
He knew Serena better than Kael ever would.
She was driven by guilt. Sensitive to pain. And most of all—afraid of abandonment.
Elijah plucked a shard of crystal from his inventory, a leftover from the dungeon core he passed earlier. It shimmered with faint mana—enough for a minor illusion.
[Sin Echo: Subvert Emotion – Target: Serena]
Effect: Induce nostalgia. Weaken resistance to influence. Duration: 3 minutes.
He focused, and the shard glowed red.
The memory he pushed into it was simple—an echo of the first night he and Serena kissed beneath the moonlit roof of the academy tower, hearts full of foolish dreams.
He wrapped the illusion around a whisper and tossed it across the barrier like a fisherman casting bait.
The moment it entered the warded area, Serena flinched.
She froze mid-potion, her lips parting.
Kael noticed nothing.
She slowly stood, eyes distant, breathing shallow. Her fingers trembled.
Then, as if drawn by some invisible string, she turned toward the exit.
Perfect.
Elijah moved swiftly, circling to the back of the camp where a narrow corridor twisted into a blind alcove.
He stepped out of the shadows just as Serena rounded the bend, her silver staff raised warily. Her face was pale, confused—but her eyes widened in recognition.
"Elijah?!"
He didn't smile.
Didn't cry.
He just looked at her.
"Hello, Serena," he said, his voice flat. "Long time no see."
Her staff lowered an inch. "You're... alive?"
"Surprised?"
"I—I thought…" she bit her lip, lowering her gaze. "We thought you were dead."
He let the silence stretch, let her stew in her guilt.
"Kael said the Wraith King was too strong. He said it was too late to save you."
"I'll bet he did."
She flinched.
"Elijah… I'm sorry," she said, stepping closer. "I didn't want to leave you. But Kael—he made the call. He said it was for the mission."
"You always were good at following orders," Elijah said softly. "Even when they broke people."
That hit her.
Her breath caught, and for a second, the mask cracked.
"Elijah, please. It wasn't like that."
"No?" He stepped forward. "Was it not you who told me you'd love me forever? Who swore you'd never leave me behind, no matter what Kael said?"
"I—"
He didn't let her finish.
Instead, he gently took her hand, just like he used to, and looked into her eyes.
The Sin System flared behind his gaze.
[Sin Echo: Active – Seed Corruption]
Target: Serena
Status: Vulnerable
Trigger: Physical contact + emotional overload
"You don't have to lie, Serena," Elijah said, voice low, smooth like poisoned honey. "You wanted to leave. You wanted him."
"I—don't—" she choked, her eyes brimming. "It wasn't supposed to be like this. I didn't know what to feel when Kael—"
"But you chose him."
He leaned closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"You chose him, even though you knew he'd never love you the way I did."
She gasped at the closeness, the intensity of his eyes.
[Seed Corruption: 38%]
Effect: Emotional instability detected. Affection and guilt mixing.]
"Elijah, I—" she whispered, and her hand didn't pull away.
He saw it then.
The first crack.
He stepped closer again, this time letting his hand trail down her arm slowly, until his fingers laced with hers.
"Do you miss me, Serena?"
She swallowed. "Yes."
"Do you want me?"
Her lips trembled. "I... don't know."
"You don't have to. Not now." His voice dropped to a whisper. "But I'll show you soon enough."
He leaned in and pressed his lips gently to her forehead—a soft, reverent kiss full of twisted irony.
[Seed Corruption: 52%]
New Ability: Lust Echo (Rank F) Unlocked
You may now implant desire through physical contact.
Next Phase: Create Doubt in Loyalty. Repeat Contact Recommended.
He pulled away, just enough.
"Go back to Kael. Tell him you were just clearing your head," Elijah said. "And remember this moment. Remember how you felt."
Serena nodded slowly, dazed, and walked back without another word.
Elijah waited until she disappeared behind the curve of stone.
Then he grinned.
Phase one was complete.
Kael'sPOV – "The Cracks Appear"
Kael knew something was off the moment Serena returned.
She moved quietly, eyes unfocused, her steps lacking the proud rhythm she normally carried. She barely acknowledged him as she sat near the fire and began idly stirring a potion she'd already brewed twice.
He watched her from the corner of his eye. His smile, practiced and perfect, never wavered.
"Something wrong?" he asked, flipping his sword with one hand and letting the flames dance across its polished edge.
She blinked, as if waking from a dream. "No… just needed air."
"You were gone a while."
"Lost track of time."
He nodded, still smiling.
But inwardly?
He frowned.
He didn't like… changes.
Especially not in his toys.
That's what Serena was now. Not a partner. Not even a lover. Just another beautiful little thing that made his status look better. A disposable accessory to the "Hero of Light."
He remembered how easy it was to win her.
A few heroic kills, a staged rescue from a goblin ambush, and some whispered promises about "saving the kingdom together."
Elijah had never stood a chance.
Poor bastard, Kael thought, stoking the fire.
He'd allowed Elijah into the party as a PR move—"the brave support-class underdog" angle. People loved stories like that. It made Kael look noble.
But Elijah got clingy.
Too moral. Too sentimental.
He got in the way.
So when the Wraith King's army attacked during the last mission, Kael hadn't hesitated.
One whispered command to retreat. One conveniently delayed teleport scroll. One sobbing Serena too confused to fight it.
Elijah had been left behind, screaming her name as the shadows closed in.
Kael smiled to himself.
Clean, efficient, necessary.
Or so I thought.
Now, she was acting strange.
She hadn't asked about Elijah once in the last few days.
Until now.
Kael narrowed his eyes at the way she rubbed her hands—like trying to erase something. Her lips trembled just slightly when she thought he wasn't looking.
No, he thought. Can't have that. Weakness spreads.
He rose and walked behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
She flinched.
Too much.
"You sure you're okay?" he asked softly.
"Yeah," she replied, too fast.
Kael's eyes narrowed just a touch.
Something was wrong.
Serena's POV – "The Memory That Shouldn't Hurt"
She sat by the fire, fingers trembling.
Why did I go to him?
She didn't know.
One moment, she was mixing potions—then suddenly a memory had crashed into her mind. That rooftop kiss. The one she tried so hard to forget.
She thought it was just guilt.
But then he was there.
Elijah. Alive. Hurt. Changed.
And yet, somehow still the boy who used to write poems in her spellbooks. The one who kissed her fingers after battle like they were relics.
And now?
His touch burned.
Not like fire.
Like need.
And the worst part?
She didn't pull away.
Even now, she could still feel his fingers interlaced with hers. That kiss on her forehead—it shouldn't have meant anything.
But it did.
It meant everything.
She closed her eyes.
Why did I betray him?
The answer came swift, cruel, and honest.
Because I was scared he'd always be the weaker one.
Kael was safe. Powerful. A guaranteed future.
Elijah?
Elijah was a gamble.
And now… that gamble had returned with something dark in his eyes.
And she'd said yes.
She let him touch her.
Why did it feel so good?
Back to Elijah – "Progress Report"
Elijah sat in the same shadowed corridor, eyes glowing faintly red as the Sin System fed him updates.
Target: Serena Dawnlight
Current Corruption: 58%
Status: Emotionally Conflicted. First Doubt Established.
Bonus Trigger Detected: Hero's Suspicion Activated. Target Tension Rising.
Next Suggestion: Induce Lust. Invite Contact. Break Loyalty with Act of Betrayal.
He chuckled under his breath.
He didn't even need to seduce Serena.
She was already tearing herself apart.
One more push, and she'd fall.
Not out of desire.
Not out of love.
But guilt.
And guilt was the most loyal of poisons.
He stood, dusted off his clothes, and whispered, "Soon, Kael… your trophy girl will beg to be mine."
Sin Points: 4/100
New Unlock Available: Sin Trait – [Aura of Doubt]
Effect: Those near you begin to question their allegiances. Grows stronger the more bonds you've broken.
Elijah smiled.
He was still weak, yes. Still gathering power.
But every day, every word, every touch—was another thread snapped from Kael's web.
And soon?
He'd rip the whole thing apart.
Serena – "The Midnight Pull"
The fire had long since died down, but Serena couldn't sleep.
Kael was snoring faintly beside her, one arm draped over his chest, completely at peace—so secure in his dominance, so utterly unaware of the cracks forming under his nose.
Serena lay awake, her heart beating too fast.
She kept replaying it.
Elijah's voice.
His touch.
The way his eyes bore into hers—not pleading, not broken—but hungry. Possessive.
She should've been disgusted.
She wasn't.
Instead, her body ached in a way she hadn't felt in weeks. Maybe longer.
Kael had never made her feel that way. With Kael, everything was routine. He praised her after missions, patted her head like a loyal dog, and occasionally used her like a trophy bedwarmer—but never looked at her like she was his world.
But Elijah?
Elijah used to look at her like she was the sun and he was burning just to be near her.
And now… that gaze was back.
Twisted. Dark.
But real.
Raw.
She slowly slipped out of the sleeping bag and tiptoed away from Kael, grabbing her cloak and slipping through the protective ward silently.
Her hands shook.
She knew this was wrong.
She also knew she was already too far gone.
Elijah – "First Temptation"
He felt her coming before he saw her.
The Sin System pulsed in anticipation.
Target Approaching: Serena Dawnlight
State: Vulnerable. Receptive. Guilty. Yearning.
Sin Bonus Active: Aura of Doubt – Increasing Confusion.
Corruption Threshold: 65%
She stepped into the alcove, and for a moment, she hesitated.
"Elijah," she whispered.
He turned slowly.
She gasped—he was shirtless, bruised, scars from the Wraith dungeon still fresh on his chest. His body was lean, but his presence... overwhelming.
"You came back," he said softly. "Even when you knew it was dangerous."
"I… I couldn't sleep."
He took a step forward.
"Couldn't or… didn't want to?"
She didn't answer.
He smiled.
[Lust Echo: Passive]
Effect: Physical proximity to corrupted target generates arousal linked to guilt memory.
"You've changed," she said finally, voice shaking. "You're colder."
"I'm not the man you left behind," he said.
And then he reached for her hand again.
She let him.
"I should go," she whispered, even as she stepped closer.
"I won't stop you."
"I know you hate me."
"I do," he said honestly. "But I also remember how you tasted."
She trembled.
"Elijah…"
He leaned in slowly, giving her every chance to pull away.
She didn't.
Their lips brushed—and that was all it took.
Her hands found his chest, fingers digging into skin as she kissed him back with desperation and shame.
He didn't dominate her.
He didn't need to.
She was offering herself.
He deepened the kiss, letting the Sin System drink in every ounce of betrayal and longing from her body.
[Claim Progress: 80%]
Trait Unlocked: Voice of the Sinner (Rank F)
You may now manipulate guilty thoughts into obedience. Use whispered suggestions to bypass logical resistance.
He broke the kiss, breathing heavily.
Her lips were swollen, eyes wide with realization.
"I—I shouldn't have done that," she said. "Kael—he—"
"Kael won't know. Not unless you want him to."
Her breath caught again.
"You want him to know?"
"I want you to remember how it feels to be mine," Elijah whispered in her ear. "Even when his arms are around you."
She whimpered.
He didn't touch her again.
Didn't have to.
She turned and fled back to the camp, cloak fluttering like wings of a fallen angel.
Elijah sat down, breathing slowly, letting the Sin System flood his body with new power.
Serena Corruption: 72%
Claim Status: Pending Final Act
Kael Suspects: 15% (Passivity slowing suspicion)
Sin Points: 11/100
He smiled.
It was happening.
One stolen kiss at a time.
Kael – "The Hero's Gut Never Lies"
Kael opened his eyes the moment the ward flickered.
Just a ripple. Barely visible.
But enough.
He didn't move.
Didn't turn his head.
Just listened.
Soft footsteps. Bare soles. Hesitant breath.
Serena.
She was slipping back into her sleeping bag, carefully avoiding noise, pretending nothing had happened.
Kael's eyes remained half-lidded, his mind racing.
She had left in the middle of the night.
And came back smelling like him.
The scent was faint, but Kael's senses were sharp.
Sweat. Herbs. Male.
Not his scent.
Not recently.
Something primal stirred in his chest—dark, ugly, and entirely unlike the hero persona he wore.
She went to him.
He gritted his teeth silently.
She went to the boy I abandoned. The one I buried to protect her.
Kael had always known Serena was… idealistic.
Naive.
She liked romance. The idea of love.
But Kael didn't believe in it.
He believed in power.
In image.
And Serena was his queen piece. The perfect match for the Hero of Light.
But now?
Cracked.
Tainted.
He watched her silently as she lay facing away from him, hands clenched in guilt.
It was almost laughable.
The little priestess who used to swear purity like a vow now crawling back from a midnight tryst like a cheating consort.
Kael wanted to wake her.
Wanted to ask.
But more than anything?
He wanted to watch her fall on her own.
Because once she did…
He could punish her.
Serena – "The Poison After Pleasure"
Her body still buzzed.
Even under Kael's gaze—though she pretended he was asleep—her lips still burned from Elijah's kiss.
She hated herself for it.
Kael was the hero. He had saved her, elevated her, brought her into the light.
But Elijah…
He made her feel.
And that terrified her more than anything.
Every part of her training—her faith, her logic—screamed that she should confess, cleanse her soul, cut ties before it became worse.
But it was already too late.
She'd kissed him.
And worse—
She'd liked it.
Her thighs clenched at the memory, the hunger between her legs pulsing like it had a will of its own.
She shut her eyes.
Please don't let Kael know.
But deep down?
A wicked whisper inside her wanted him to know.
So he'd look at her like Elijah did.
So he'd stop treating her like a statue to be polished.
So something would change.
Elijah – "The Seed of Doubt Blossoms"
Back at the shadowed glade, Elijah fed off the dark satisfaction like wine.
The Sin System whispered like a lover in his ear.
Serena Corruption: 74%
Kael Suspicion: 22% – Passive Aggression Detected
Sin Points: 16/100
Next Trigger Option: Public Provocation / Intimate Message / Emotional Test
Elijah chose the second.
He summoned a shadow-borne whisper, a minor spell gifted by the Sin System's new trait.
[Voice of the Sinner] – Whisper of Temptation
Send a guilty thought directly to a corrupted target's mind while they sleep or reflect. Influences dreams and arousal. Can accelerate collapse of loyalty. Cooldown: 1 night.**
He formed the message carefully:
"You moaned for me, Serena. Even when his name was still on your lips.
You'll come back to me.
Because only I make you feel alive."
He sent it.
Miles away, in her tent, Serena gasped—body curling with heat, face flushing in shame.
Kael, now truly awake, saw it all.
Kael – "A Hero's Smile, A Predator's Eyes"
By morning, Kael was all charm.
He handed Serena her breakfast with a smile so warm, so normal, it made her knees wobble.
"You slept well?" he asked gently.
She nodded quickly, trying not to meet his eyes.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
And whispered:
"You were twitching in your sleep. Must've been quite the dream."
She nearly dropped her food.
Her heart spiked. Her face turned pale.
But Kael just sipped his tea calmly.
Not another word.
He let the silence do the work.
Let her guilt boil.
Let her mind betray itself.
Because Kael had learned something from politics, from court games, from pretending to be a noble light-filled savior:
You don't confront a lie. You feed it until it chokes on itself.
He didn't need to accuse her.
He just needed to let her destroy herself trying to hide it.
Serena – "Cracked and Clenching"
She sat stiffly, barely tasting the food.
The whisper from last night still echoed in her ears.
"You moaned for me…"
She had.
Her fingers had dipped between her legs in the middle of the night, desperate and dripping—and she hated herself for how good it felt.
Worse still, Kael knew.
She could feel it.
His voice had been too kind. His words, too precise.
Was it a threat?
A test?
Her mind spiraled. Every glance felt accusatory. Every silence, a trap.
And through it all…
Her body still wanted Elijah.
She clenched her thighs under the table, her breath shallow.
She was unraveling.
And the worst part?
Some dark part of her… loved it.
Elijah – "Target Two: Pride Before the Fall"
Back at the ruins, Elijah was already scouting his next prize.
Secondary Harem Target Identified: Lady Cassandra Veilspire
Status: Ice Mage. Noble lineage. Arrogant. Chaste. Loyal to Kael.
Corruption Resistance: High
Potential Reward: Massive Status Disruption / Political Fallout / High-Value Sin Points
Elijah smirked.
Cassandra was everything Serena wasn't.
Cold. Logical. Condescending.
She used to mock him in Kael's party.
Called him "Kael's little errand-boy."
Now?
He would make her beg.
Sin Trait Activated: [Aura of Doubt]
Effect: Plant first seed of emotional instability in Target Cassandra.
He stepped from the shadows as Cassandra arrived near the ruins on a solo scouting trip.
Perfect.
He stood, bruised and shirtless, half-hidden in the mist—like a phantom that shouldn't exist.
Her eyes widened.
"Elijah?"
He didn't answer. Just turned and started walking into the ruins.
She hesitated.
Then followed.
Hook Set.
System Update
Serena Corruption: 78%
Kael Suspicion: 40% – Active Testing Mode
Target Cassandra: Curiosity Detected. Emotional Disruption Begins.
Sin Points: 23/100
Unlocked Sin Power: [Gaze of the Broken]
Look a corrupted target in the eye to recall their most shameful memory. Can be used to weaken resolve or intensify guilt-arousal link.