Alma's mind went black after hearing Jacob's disparaging confession as if he was telling a boring story.
Although she had suspected the 'Soulless Ghost King' had killed her brother, she wasn't expecting this Soulless Ghost King to be an entirely different entity.
Furthermore, now that Jacob was confessing right in front of her, the irony of not being able to do a thing except hate him with every fiber of her being, she couldn't do anything. In fact, her own life was in his hands right now, and she was filled with despair.
As for the Soulless Ghost King, Alma didn't care about him at all, yet for some reason, she suddenly thought she had wronged him all this time. After all, despite their differences and schemes, he never harmed Blackwell.
Nonetheless, it was all in the past, and now, Jacob wanted her to become his test subject, and she could either cooperate with the murderer of her brother or suffer under his hands; the result would be the same.
She even thought about committing suicide while wounding Jacob in the process, but it was also the most hateful part; she couldn't even commit suicide in this world, which Jacob called his own and claimed to be its God.
Now, Alma even started to suspect Jacob, a Mythical Being from the Upper Plains, since only they might have such a power under their control.
She dispiritedly asked, "I…I…even if I cooperate, you won't let me go, right?"
Jacob contemptuously replied in a dark tone, "What a silly question to ask. Tell me, all the ghost slaves within your soul, do you even think of them as 'living beings'? In the end, they are just tools, unworthy and weak. You can casually sacrifice them when needs arrive and won't feel a thing because you can constantly replenish them.
"The same goes for me. In my eyes, you are just like those Ghost Slaves. You have no right to demand anything. You are nothing but an interesting tool, and tools are meant to be used until they break before being replaced.
"A tool has no will, no right; it exists for its master's use, and you should know better than to ask me if I ever give a tool 'freedom.' The only choice you have is either to work smoothly or by force; in the latter case, you'll break quicker than your expectancy."
Alma's eyes became even more empty as she heard those cruel words, but just as Jacob said, she would do the same if they changed position. She was a Dark Being; she had killed countless living beings and dark beings alive; even the countless souls in her soul were her 'trophies' and 'tools.'
She never considered them living things with rights; they were nothing but her tools, and she'd used them as she wished without caring about their suffering.
"Just one thing…" Alma said, her voice fraught with emptiness. "How did you kill Blackwell?"
Jacob's eyes flickered from this strange question, but he still answered her question, "Slowly, painfully, and in despair…the amusing part is, I didn't even have to act personally. He ran into hordes of Zodiac Beasts while seeking out the Spirit Poison King, hoping to escape my clutches.
"Yet, there was no hope from the beginning to the end. He tried to scheme against me but ended up part of my stratagem. This is the game of life; if you win, you live to play another day; if you lose, it's game over forever!"
His eyes flickered with a cruel glint as he looked at Alma. He could sense her mind was falling into utter despair. Despite her hatred for him, despite wanting to rip him apart, she longed for just a chance to hurt him even a little, yet she knew she couldn't, which was breaking her mind, especially with her powers completely suppressed; she was extremely vulnerable both mentally and physically.
Jacob knew her mind was now in the optimal state to cast…
'Soul Tether Hex!'
The moment he activated the Soul Tether Hex, an invisible circle appeared where Alma stood with empty eyes, and he asked, his voice laced with subtle power, "So, are you willing to be my slave forever and follow my every command?"
The moment he established the rule of the Soul Tether Hex, the circle under her feel shimmered darkly.
Alma replied like a puppet at this moment, "I-I do…"
The next moment, the circle under her instantly started to twist before turning into infinity, and Jacob's eyes flickered with a hint of ecstasy as he sensed the connection was formed!
The Soul Tether Hex was like a Soul Contract; calling it a Cursed Contract would not be wrong.
However, unlike the other contracts, Soul Tether Hex can only have a Single 'Rule' consisting of 99 words. This condition couldn't be changed, or the Soul Tether Hex would not be established.
Moreover, the Soul Tether Hex can't be forced; the other party must willingly agree to it. Once the Hex was successfully established, there was no escaping it unless Jacob himself willingly nullified it.
However, it wasn't even the most crucial part of the Soul Tether Hex. According to the 'rule' established, it can manipulate and brainwash the very minds of its victims without them even realizing it. The victims can't hide from Jacob or escape no matter how much the victim grows after the establishment of the Soul Tether hex.
But there was a limited number of Soul Tether Hexes; they couldn't be used endlessly and as much as Jacob wished, and it all depended on Jacob's soul. With his current soul, Jacob can only establish six Soul Tether Hexes, no matter the power level of the victim.
Yet, Jacob didn't have enough cursed mana to cast it on a Legendary King like Alma because of her Legendary King Soul Totem. However, in Infinite Space, it was possible that as long as her powers were completely suppressed and her mind harmed, no matter how powerful her soul was, she could only succumb to this curse!
Jacob wasn't planning on casting the Soul Tether Hex on Alma until he discovered the Soulmancer profession and created the Spectral Despair.
He wanted to further strengthen the Spectral Despair by assimilating the secret of the Ghost Form into it, and he didn't want to risk using Soul Search or Nyx's Nightmare Sepsis since their results were random.
So, instead of going through the trouble of torturing her, he simply decided to hex her and turn her into an obedient slave with Soul Tether Hex. Furthermore, he could see that Alma had more secrets hidden in her body, and he wanted them all.
Now, with Alma under the Soul Tether Hex's influence will soon turn into Jacob's loyal slave while completely forgetting her hatred for him, and once her usefulness is over, he can get rid of her and empty the Soul Tether Hex's slot.
Jacob impassively ordered, "Alright, from now on, you are no longer Soul Ghost King or Alma. You will be Specimen-1. Go and find yourself a place to live; I'll find you soon!"
Alma didn't object or show any resistance as she silently walked away like a corpse, and Jacob had no remorse as he watched the desolated back of the ghost!