Mark had been half-expecting the boss to ask him that question.
From what little he knew, information was one of the greatest weapons in a confrontation. How would the boss not try to extract what he can?
That being said, he had an answer, and also some misgivings.
"The abilities of us Blessed are varied from what I have seen. One might not be exactly the same as the other. In fact, they might be completely different."
He smiled.
"Luckily I have had enough personal experience with the Spheks to give you an answer. Their reverend leader has the ability to dull people's conscience and make them unfeeling, like a machine. He can also put the ability onto items."
Mark reached into his windbreaker to pull out the Luger, but he stopped in the middle of the action, not knowing if it was a good idea to pull out a gun so abruptly. He looked at the boss who gave him a reassuring nod in return.
He drew the Luger by the barrel and waved it in the air.
"I got this after looting one of the Spheks. The owner was a callous man who killed his subordinates and looked like he could strangle a baby. All the higher-ups of the gang act in the same manner."
The boss stretched his hand out.
"Let me see."
Mark rose and walked to the boss to hand over the firearm. Taking it into his hands, the boss sat motionless for a moment before inspecting the Luger.
"It's a normal gun. And yet..."
He handed it back to Mark.
"I feel a subtle cool when holding it, my heart becomes calm, and thoughts flow with clarity. Is that how it seems to you?"
Mark nodded.
"There might be a danger to using it. I fear that the effect will build up and leave me emotionless."
He would have been fine with that if his life were only riddled with battles and underhanded affairs, but he would rather try to rise in the ranks of society once more and earn a respectable position to live through. Both emotions and conscience would help him with that.
For now, the Luger will serve as an invaluable partner when it comes to staying rational in the trials to come.
Sitting down, he watched as the boss pondered, then eventually raised his head.
"Yes, the ability to become apathetic can be used to bring an advantage. But that might not be all."
He looked at Mark.
"Have you met the leader of the Spheks?"
The confrontation in the alley resurfaced with a glorious tint.
"Yes."
Mark saw the boss' eyes shine.
"Describe him."
And so he did.
"I remember a red-eyed man of great stature. One of a kind, a man above men who is attuned to leadership. The success of the Spheks must be because of him, as his wits and actions were worthy of the greatness that they brought."
The boss narrowed his eyes.
"Aren't you embarrassed to say all that?"
Mark shook his head.
"No, not really."
It was hard to bring the concept of shame and the leader of the Spheks together as if the two were simply incompatible. The feeling was almost alien.
'Wait a second.'
His eyes widened.
"Am I under some kind of mental coercion?"
The boss looked at Mark with that same profound gaze.
"Maybe. I felt the same way when meeting that man too. But it has long worn off."
He paused, tapping his chin. A look of nostalgia seemed to flash on his face but it disappeared as fast as the passing wind, never to be seen again.
"Do you have any other type of trinket or item from the Spheks?"
Mark nodded.
"There's the punctured coin that every Spheks member has."
The boss didn't hesitate to respond.
"Throw it away."
Blinking, Mark did as he was told.
"It's better if the manipulation is subtle. Only when it's too late will one realize that they slowly have been brainwashed into obedience. Yes, that's what I would do in his position."
The boss self-depreciatingly chuckled.
"Too bad I can't."
Mark couldn't comprehend the man's words.
"What are you trying to say?"
He felt on the verge of an epiphany- one that he should have had a long time ago.
"Making people apathetic is too pathetic of an ability. It might even backfire if his subordinates become too self-centered and lose their loyalty. Yet he still has control over the gang. It means that there must be a second part to what he can do."
Mark listened with a subtle trepidation crawling down his back.
"Now imbuing loyalty onto people. That is an ability worthy of giving the Blessed their name."
The boss seemed somber yet elated at the same time. Maybe he was.
Knowing the strength of the enemy could be frightening, yet nevertheless essential.
Mark was slightly amused.
'Making people apathetic and instilling loyalty. I can do both and so much more. Does this make me special?'
He couldn't put his ability into an object no matter how much he tried, but his versatility seemed much greater.
At the same time, it dawned on him that his mind was remembering the leader of the Spheks in a much better light than he should.
The damned man tried to kill him, so why was he singing his praises?
Shuddering, he looked at the punctured coin that he had thrown to the side with newfound fear.
If the boss is right, and that coin was subtly instilling a sense of loyalty to that lunatic, Mark could have been a clueless victim by the next year.
It's almost like one of those layered schemes. The confrontation was the surface, but the action of giving him the coin was the main objective.
What didn't make sense was that the red-eyed man tried to kill him anyway. Though, logic didn't really apply to that lunatic- unless his insanity was a facade in itself.
Mark regarded the boss with a weird sense of respect.
The man didn't take things for granted, but looked at the worst scenarios and prepared for them, just like a pessimist.
Under that normality lay a plethora of complexities.