—Do you want to keep learning more? —Rhys asked, noticing his enthusiasm.
—Of course, sir, —Anyael replied. —I'm always ready for new knowledge.
From nearby, the two girls were watching.
—Don't you think they're kind of idiots? —Kael asked Elara.
—Nah, they're just like that… —she replied.
—But sir, why are there only three members in the Eighth Division? —Anyael asked Rhys.
—Two things, —Rhys said. —First, don't worry about calling me "sir." Just call me Rhys. And to answer your other question… it's because of a certain person… —he looked at Kael with obvious hatred and added— they scare off all the other candidates.
Kael indignantly spoke up—
—IT'S NOT MY FAULT THEY'RE A BUNCH OF WIMPS!!!
—Hahaha! —Anyael laughed, genuinely amused. Elara turned to him and said—
—You know, you have a really nice laugh.
Anyael, embarrassed, replied—
—Thanks, hehe.
—Now, Rhys, finish telling the boy about his doubts, —Kael said.
—Where were we? —Rhys asked.
—Gluttony, —Anyael answered.
—Okay, Bondage of Lust: The Seductive Echo. Beyond mere carnal desire, this Bondage lets its wielder manipulate emotions, desires, and perceptions. Sinners of this type can create irresistible illusions, influence their victim's will with just a look or a touch, and sow discord and admiration at will.
Bondage of Sloth: The Deep Sleep. Far from just doing nothing, this Bondage grants the power of immobilization and exhaustion…
Hmm… it's fascinating how each type of Bondage has almost endless variations in abilities, Anyael thought in awe.
—Bondage of Greed: The Golden Hand Monopoly. This is the manifestation of obsessive possession. Its wielders can manipulate and extract resources from their surroundings with supernatural efficiency, materialize valuable objects out of thin air, often at the expense of others, or even drain their opponents' luck for themselves.
Bondage of Envy: The Twisted Reflection Eye. It allows its wielder to distort perception, project illusions of what others desire, and, most dangerously, replicate or nullify the abilities of those they envy. They can create duplicates of themselves or others, or even temporarily copy an opponent's power just by observing them. Their power manifests as an aura of visual and emotional distortion. However, this Bondage eats away at them internally, feeding a constant dissatisfaction and an inability to value their own skills.
—Wow! If you just hear it like that, you'd think every wielder has all those abilities. But no, each wielder—or rather, each Sinner—has a unique ability that fits them and their type of Bondage. It's fascinating, —Anyael said, utterly captivated.
—I'm glad you're excited, but there's still a lot more… —Rhys replied, his voice filled with vision.
—Bondage of Hypocrisy: The Illusionist's Veil. It allows its wielder to project an image that is not their own, deceiving the senses and minds of those around them. They can create convincing illusions of themselves, objects, or even the surrounding reality, making others see what they want, not what is. They can also suppress their own presence or emotions, becoming imperceptible or undetectable. The danger is that living behind this veil, they eventually lose their true identity, becoming a patchwork of lies and appearances, unable to recognize their own self.
Bondage of Blasphemy: The Voice of Sacred Rupture. Wielders can emit energy waves that dissolve faith, corrupt sacred symbols, or nullify abilities based on virtue or devotion. Their voice can instill despair, disbelief, or madness in those clinging to higher ideals. Their body often contorts into a parody of what they consider "divine," and their presence can stir the most primal Convergent Beasts. The risk is that by destroying others' faith, they also erase any trace of hope or morality in themselves, becoming heralds of nihilistic chaos.
—Wow… so many possibilities for so many powers… —Anyael said to Rhys.
—And last, but definitely not least, is the Bondage of Vainglory. This one is… complicated to understand for someone who doesn't possess it. It's born from something as human as the need to be recognized, but taken to the most dangerous extreme. Vainglory is the embodiment of excessive narcissism, arrogance, and an obsessive need to be supreme—the center of everything, the best, the most admired. A wielder of this Bondage doesn't just want to be superior—they demand that their superiority is recognized by everyone. Their power manifests by amplifying their presence, charisma, and perceived perfection to near-divine levels for those around them. They can create auras that enforce forced admiration, absolute respect, or even deep humiliation for anyone daring to doubt their greatness. Physically, it often manifests as a kind of invulnerability or enhancements in appearance or abilities that make them seem "perfect." Their Ego is so vast it almost repels damage, refusing to acknowledge any flaw.
—And the great danger of Vainglory is that its Ego is insatiable. It requires constant validation. If they're not continuously praised, adored, or recognized as the best, their power can spiral out of control, becoming unstable and destructive, or they can fall into a pit of rage and frustration that consumes them. Their biggest vulnerability is their blindness to their own flaws and inability to accept inferiority, which often leads them to ignore real dangers until it's too late.
—That was a lot, —Anyael said to Rhys.
—Yeah… it took about an hour, and I haven't even answered half of your questions yet. But to answer them all, I propose a deal, —Rhys said.
—What kind of deal? —Anyael asked, intrigued.
—Easy, —Rhys replied. —You become an official member of our team, trained by us, go on missions for us, and I'll pay you and answer your questions.
—Sounds like a deal, —Anyael replied, excited.
—You won't regret it, —Rhys said proudly.