The Devouring Whale Overlord watched silently, its sense of helplessness growing. It could not roar, could not shout in anger due to the seal restraining its fury, but the malice in its eyes remained.
Linsley, however, no longer viewed it or its clan as living beings deserving of empathy.
His voice dropped, laced with quiet, dangerous resolve. "This will sound arrogant, perhaps even self-centered—but it's the truth. Those who follow me will prosper. Those who obstruct me will die."
He paused, his gaze lingering on the surrounding ocean where countless devouring whales surfaced, watching, their hostility bubbling beneath the surface.
"The lives of the minority are insignificant compared to the majority. These whales," he said, his expression darkening further, "have exhausted my patience."
As Linsley finished speaking, the flux around him surged.
His hands moved with precise control, shaping the energy into something far more sinister.
Dark violet flux coalesced, warping and swirling around his fingers, before it condensed into a solid object. Slowly, an ornate artifact formed in the air before him.
The Seven Deadly Sins Judgment took the shape of a blackened, ornate scale with seven crystalline orbs hanging beneath it, each orb representing one of the deadly sins—Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride.
Each orb shimmered faintly with a malevolent energy, pulsing like a heartbeat.
On the scale itself, a glowing sigil marked the balance, casting an eerie light across the surrounding area. It looked ancient, as though it had been created from the essence of sin itself.
Linsley's gaze hardened as he finalized the artifact, his grip tightening around the ethereal creation.
"The Seven Deadly Sins Judgment," he whispered, "a tool of ultimate judgment, born from the darkest hearts of men and monsters alike. It will weigh the sins of its victims, and for those who embody all seven, their fate will be sealed."
The way the artifact worked was clear—by inducing the seven deadly sins in its target, the scale would tip, and once it detected all seven within a soul, the artifact would strip them of their free will.
Lucy's power escalated, her flux mingling with the artifact's influence, and each wave seemed to multiply the effect until the seven deadly sins had fully intoxicated the whales.
Greed, gluttony, sloth, envy, and pride followed, layering upon each other.
The Devouring Whale Clan was now helpless, their minds drowning in a maelstrom of sin.
Linsley, watching from the side, let his cold smile deepen.
He lifted his hand, summoning the power of his Real Fantasy gift.
The devouring whales, though intoxicated by the Seven Deadly Sins, suddenly froze, unable to act upon their overwhelming desires.
His fantasy had become their reality—paralyzed, unable to resist or retaliate.
"They're ready," Linsley said, his voice calm and emotionless.
With a single gesture, he activated the Seven Deadly Sins Judgment artifact.
A chilling glow emanated from it, and immediately, the enslaving power took hold.
The eyes of the devouring whales dulled as their free will was erased, their minds now empty vessels under Linsley's command.
The rule-type artifact, with its severe restrictions and focus on sin, had worked flawlessly. The judgment was absolute, and with the gap in power between Linsley and the whales, there was no escape from its effects.
As the final step, Linsley activated his Soul Contract (Purple) talent.
Purple tendrils of soul-binding energy wrapped around the lifeless eyes of the devouring whales, forcing them to sign their lives away. Their souls were now bound to him, completely subservient to his will.
All the while, the Devouring Whale Overlord watched in horror.