Matthias

The Middle's hierarchy system features at least four major ranks, which do not appear to contain sub-ranks. The ranks are as follows:

Little Brother/Sister Young Brother/Sister Big Brother/Sister Great Brother/Sister

While there are multiple ranks within the Syndicate, they do not seem to call for any difference in how members treat each other, as in-group relationships are built on mutual respect, care, and trust that succeeds any power structure. Instead, there exists a natural tendency for lower-ranking members to want to impress their superiors, and higher-ranking members to dote on their subordinates.[9]

There exists no strict dress code among the Middle beyond blending in with other members.[6] They tend to wear light-colored dress pants and garish shirts or coats in purple and pink tones, as well as carry around personal copies of the Book of Vengeance with them. Other common attributes include golden chains wrapped around the forearm, shins, and neck (larger amounts of chains are present on higher-ranking members), which the Middle utilize in combat, and are meant to symbolize solidarity and connection between siblings.[7] Members of the Middle are also recognizable by their enhancement tattoos; as they are allowed to get a single tattoo with each vengeance completed, the number of tattoos present on one's body tends to denote their ranking in the Syndicate.[8] In combat, they make use of punches and kicks.

Like the other four Fingers, the Middle is a large Syndicate with a unique culture and creed that all members follow fervently. Members operate on an extremely tight-knit 'familial' structure, enjoying close fraternal ties with one another. Reflective of their bonds, everyone in the Middle refers to each other as their "Brothers", "Sisters", or "siblings".

While the Middle cherishes its own members, it takes the polar opposite approach towards outsiders. Any "sin" committed against a member of the Middle, their loved ones, or property is recorded in the "Book of Vengeance" so that the perpetrator might be punished for the deed. The Middle is well-known for never letting go of unfulfilled grudges, and members may spend years chasing down its enemies to enact justice. Besides listing the names of everyone who has slighted the Middle, the Book of Vengeance also provides guidelines for the punishment to every conceivable crime, which range from killing a sibling to the simple act of stepping on a member's shoe.[2] Depending on the crime, the Middle will not hesitate to annihilate everyone in the perpetrator's faction, town, or social circle. As with the case at Rodya's hometown, the Middle may not even care who actually committed the sin, and will just opt to enact mass vengeance against whoever's in the vicinity in order to teach everyone nearby a lesson.[3] On the other hand, slights between members of the Middle are generally ignored and forgiven.[4] However, joining the Middle isn't a perfect solution either, as members are forbidden from leaving. Anyone who attempts to move on from the Syndicate will be hunted down by their former siblings until they die or erase absolutely every indicator of the Middle from themselves.

The Middle is a Finger that follows a close familial structure. The Middle is known for delivering "Vengeances" onto any outsiders who commit slights against the Syndicate and its subsidiaries, who are viewed as part of the Middle's "family". Punishments are conducted in accordance to the Book of Vengeance, a multi-title tome that all Middle members carry with them, providing specific instructions on how to commit Vengeances for every possible infraction, no matter how esoteric the sin may seem.[11]

The Middle never forgets, and escaping them is only temporary. Whether it's a minor infraction, or running away from the organization,[12] the Middle will chase down anybody who commits a slight against them until the proper punishment is delivered.

The southern branch of the Middle is currently recovering from a brutal attack, which all branches of the Middle remember and mourn.

As a child, Matthias sought a toy of high acclaim, though was unable to purchase this item. Because of this failure, and the company's subsequent shutting-down, he experienced a deep feeling of despair being implanted to his being.

At some point, Matthias became a member of the Middle, ascending to the position of Great Brother thanks to his loyalty. During an expedition to the Ruins, his cohort would discover the Lævateinn, a burning Relic of immense power, with the eldest Brother claiming it as his own. Overtaken by envy, Matthias killed him and the Great Sister traveling with them, destroying all evidence and claiming the sword as his own. However, his actions still aroused suspicion, causing him to lose his position as a Great Brother. Although he was unable to use Lævateinn to its full potential due to not being the rightful owner, Matthias was nonetheless satisfied by simply being the owner of a legendary sword as he had once dreamed as a child, seeing his banishment as inconsequential in comparison.

Among the five Fingers, Matthias was the Middle's representative in the process of raising Ryōshū into a "perfect blade". In her youth, Ryōshū was raised by Matthias, who frequently spoiled her with toys and violently punished those who slighted her.

He traveled with the girl, taking her out on streaks of buying expensive items, whether she wanted them or not, or taking her out to other Districts such as District 21.

During her rampage through the House of Spiders, Matthias was attacked by Ryōshū, having his right arm severed from his body. Despite the pain, all he did was question her reasoning, wondering if she were mad at him for something.

After Ryōshū's departure from the House of Spiders, Matthias began teaching an apprentice, Kira, who shares similar interest in toys and battle as her "papa".

Typical of those in his primary faction, Matthias is deeply devout to those on his side and brutal to those not. He is shown to feature an intense excitement at the possibility of reuniting with Ryōshū, who he called "buddy" in her youth. He features a toy-loving attitude, which contributes to a short attention span likened to hits destruction of new toys, as well as a tendency to buy and collect things he has no intention to actually use. Despite this somewhat immature personality, he remains highly capable in combat, able to fend off a variety of opponents at a time, with a litany of specific tools that assist his battles. Even with his boisterous personality, Matthias is a brutal and dedicated man who understands the goal of his side, never wavering when it is threatened or questioned.

However, at his core, Matthias is an intensely selfish man who only truly cares about short-term pleasure and indulging his hedonism. While he expresses affection for those under his watch, his understanding of parental care is highly superficial and neglectful, mostly involving flaunting his wealth and spoiling his "children" with no heed for consequences. Ultimately, he treats the needs of his peers as entirely irrelevant compared to his own, even fellow Middle members, and will even sacrifice them in a heartbeat if it benefits him.

Matthias is a bulky man, with dark skin and pure-white hair worn short with blunt bangs. He is typically seen wearing a pair of thick sunglasses, with a gold bridge between the lenses. He wears a white suit overtop a black dress shirt — unbuttoned and revealing a large scar on his chest — with a massive coat with the colors and pattern customary of members of the Middle worn over his shoulders. He keeps his Book of Vengeance on his left hip, with his opposite leg wrapped in golden chains. Notably, his right leg appears to shift through the use of his enhancement tattoos into a large claw, one he uses in combat. He is missing his right arm, though is shown to have worn white gloves on both hands in the past. His body is covered in enhancement tattoos, similar in design to other members of the Middle. On his back rests an oversized metallic sword and scabbard.

The sword, Lævateinn, is bound by at least three layers of seals, taking the form of thick chains keeping each layer tightly bound. When revealed, the sword appears with a thin-tipped appearance and a red burning hue across the entire length of the blade.