4-Two False Slaves

Alvin had been given this task, the final stage of his mission.

Also, it should be noted that the mirror in Alvin's hand was no ordinary weapon. It was the "Soul Mirror," a weapon that could trap and shatter souls.

This weapon had been given to him directly by the one who issued the command.

Alvin glanced at the symbol on his throat, the mark that had enslaved him.

He had no choice but to obey because the one who gave the order, the King of Bandits, had branded him with the 'Spiritual Manipulation' mark—a tool passed down to him, pressed onto the throat of any who wished to join the bandits, enslaving their souls. This mark allowed the King of Bandits to manipulate the mind and body, as the soul controlled both.

If someone wished to become a bandit, they would, unknowingly and innocently, fall into this trap. They'd become the bandit's slave until death, their soul manipulated by the one who wielded the mark.

The mind and body are tied to the soul. Without a soul, there would be no mind, and thus the body and mind would have no control. Therefore, a soulless being's mind and body are insignificant.

However, one who wishes to manipulate a soul must have a stronger soul than the one they are trying to manipulate.

The King of Bandits' soul is superior to almost every being in this world because, from the day he was born, his soul had been blessed by an unknown and powerful entity, far stronger than his own. This blessing allows him to easily manipulate the souls and minds of the weak.

But nothing comes without a cost…

In exchange for this grand blessing of power, the King of Bandits must offer souls to the unknown entity who bestowed it upon him. The souls, selected by this being, must be offered up from this world.

And refusal is not an option. If he were to refuse, the blessing would be stripped from his soul. The control he held over the souls he manipulated would vanish, as his soul, without the blessing, would fall to the same level as those he controlled.

This is why the King of Bandits' soul is stronger than any in this world—he carries a powerful blessing.

Alvin's task, using the small and broken Soul Mirror in his possession, was to fulfill the King of Bandits' command, to manipulate the chosen souls through a ritual and offer them to this unknown being.

That's why that old wardrobe contained a white robe.

The task of offering souls to this unknown entity had been directly assigned to Alvin by the King of Bandits himself.

And yes, there were ways to break free from the spiritual manipulation.

For instance, by destroying the mark or killing the one who possessed it… but these were impossible.

Otherwise, the King of Bandits would have long been killed by Cryus, Roger, and Drew.

Moreover, if, through certain encounters, a soul proved superior to the one possessing the mark, the mark would transfer to them, and they would gain control over the souls the original wielder had manipulated.

They could even destroy the mark if they wished.

In short, the one with the stronger soul wins and gains the power to manipulate souls.