As his palm touched the thirteen-sided crystal, "her" voice appeared at the same time:
Outlander, your Thaumaturgy—Great Sin Chains—has changed.
The two chains rattled as they retracted into Shade's sleeves. The cracks that had appeared from the demon power's struggle had not vanished. Within those fissures, the glowing red clearly resembled magma, and Shade caught the scent of sulfur.
New trait: The number of chains has increased from two to three.
New trait: Original Sin Seal. Using the power of Great Sin Runes, based on the number of rune types you possess, you may seal Evil Spirit Demons with fewer sins than you possess. Current Great Sin types held: 9. Casting requires a suitable sin container.
The increase in the number of chains was a trivial matter. The second new trait meant that, against relatively weaker Evil Spirit Demons, Shade could deal with them without needing the Doctor to devour him. Nor would he need to prepare a complex Sealing Ritual in advance as he had today. The thought of flinging out his chains and directly sealing a demon within a polyhedral crystal left Shade rather eager to try it.
"Still, this Thaumaturgy evolved so dramatically. Is the Original Sin Seal inherited by Miss Aya's family really that powerful?"
He still did not know what sort of Evil Spirit Demons nine Great Sins could affect. Shade dearly wanted to test the Thaumaturgy's new trait on the Demon of Weapons, but he had no idea where it had gone.
The Black Snake had already been executed, and Shade temporarily put away the crystal. As planned, Priest Augustus would guard it afterward. The White Snake, which had remained silent for a long while after Shade used the chains, did not speak until the black fog around them had thinned somewhat:
"Do you