Chapter 16 : Soulbound

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Leylin's pace was steady as he left the market behind, his black robes fluttering slightly with each step. The vast wilderness stretched before him, a dense forest to one side and rolling hills to the other. The occasional rustle of leaves or chirp of an insect filled the air, but he was well aware that he wasn't alone.

His A.I. Chip had long detected an unfamiliar presence trailing him at a careful distance. A Level 2 Acolyte.

'How patient,' Leylin mused. The fool had followed him for miles without making a move. Clearly, the acolyte believed he had the upper hand, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

Leylin acted oblivious, allowing the acolyte to lull himself into confidence. But inwardly, he was prepared.

Then, without warning—

Whoosh!

The ground beneath Leylin's feet surged, morphing into two thick, mud-colored hands that latched onto his ankles.

"Earth Bind!"

A dagger wreathed in a faint purple glow shot towards his back. The attacker, his face twisted in elation, grinned as he anticipated victory.

"Success—?!"

But the Leylin he had attacked flickered and dissipated into nothing more than a bright flash of light.

Shadow Spikes!

From the ground, several pitch-black spikes erupted like the grasping fingers of a vengeful specter. They tore through the acolyte's body, piercing his chest, arms, and thighs in an instant. The man shrieked, agony twisting his features. Blood poured freely from his wounds, drenching the soil beneath him.

"No—please! Forgive me!" His voice was hoarse, laced with pain and desperation. His body trembled, growing weaker with every second.

Leylin emerged from the shadows, his eyes gleaming with amusement and bloodlust.

"Ah! You can't do this! Please… Please spare me…"

Leylin tilted his head, as if considering the plea. Then, without hesitation, he swung his sword.

Slash!

The man's head tumbled to the ground, his lifeless eyes frozen in shock.

Bang!

The spell binding Leylin's feet dissipated instantly. The headless corpse collapsed, blood pooling around it.

Leylin exhaled calmly, wiping his sword on the dead man's robes before sheathing it and with great anticipation he said, "A.I. Chip, use Soulbound Devourer to bind his soul to me."

A powerful soul energy storm erupted inside Leylin. The surrounding air trembled as an ethereal black entity drifted up from the corpse, swirling and shifting as if resisting its fate.

The acolyte's spectral form materialized—a translucent, wraith-like version of himself. Faint ripples of soul energy radiated from him.

For a brief moment, the soul thrashed wildly within the black abyss that had formed around Leylin. The acolyte's essence howled in silent torment. But slowly, the resistance faded. The abyss devoured him, binding him to Leylin's will.

[Beep!] Soulbinding successful. Level 2 Acolyte has been bound to the host. Strength has decreased to Level 1 due to incomplete soul energy.]

Leylin smirked as he examined his new servant. The spectral acolyte gazed at him with unwavering loyalty, its essence flickering like a shining ember. (Image)

Though its overall power had diminished, it still retained the ability to use one spell from its past life. However, casting a spell would significantly weaken it, and the summon would disappear afterward, needing to be resummoned.

'Not bad. Even a weakened Level 1 Acolyte is useful,' Leylin mused. The biggest advantage of a Level 2 Acolyte over a Level 1 is spellcasting. Even if the soul's spiritual force had dropped, being able to use a spell once before vanishing was an excellent asset.

He turned his gaze toward the spectral form. "Come forward."

The summon obeyed without hesitation, hovering before Leylin like an obedient puppet. It lacked the ability to think independently but possessed enough intelligence to follow commands efficiently.

Leylin pondered for a moment. 'The drop in strength is likely due to his weak spiritual force. If he had a spiritual force of 6 or higher, he might have retained more power.'

He had already anticipated this limitation. Soulbinding was a delicate process—if the soul was too weak, the transition would reduce its power.

"A.I. Chip, what is the cost of maintaining a bound soul?"

[As long as the host successfully binds the soul, there is no upkeep cost. However, summoning the soul for combat will consume 1 unit of magic power per day. Failure to bind a soul may result in spiritual backlash.]

Leylin's eyes gleamed. "So I can keep as many souls as I want, with no penalty unless I use them for combat?"

[Beep! Affirmative, more data required for further analysis.]

This was a tremendous discovery. Spells typically consumed at least 2 units of magic power per use, yet summoning a spectral acolyte for an entire day only cost 1 unit.

Leylin's smile widened. "That's incredibly efficient."

A sinister thought crossed his mind. 'What if I destroy it? Would it be permanently lost?'

Without hesitation, he cast a spell—Firestorm!

Flames engulfed the spectral acolyte, consuming it entirely. Leylin didn't care if he lost this summon, quenching his curiosity was more important to him

[Beep! Summon destroyed. However, the bound soul remains intact in soulbound space. The host may resummon it with 1 unit of magic power.]

Leylin chuckled. 'So even if they die, they're not lost. I just need to spend another unit of magic power to bring them back.'

The mechanics of magic spells were pretty clear for a Level 2 Acolyte like him. Spiritual force acted as a primer. Spell models functioned as catalysts. Magical power was the content, shaping the spell.

It was like chemistry—the same base elements could create wildly different reactions depending on how they were used.

Satisfied with his findings, he decided to check his status.

"A.I. Chip, status."

[Leylin Farlier: Knight. Level 2 Acolyte. Summon—Level 1 Acolyte. Strength: 4.9, Agility: 5.4, Vitality: 4.3, Spiritual Force: 3.9(4.9). Magical Power: 3(4). Magical Power is in synchronization with Spiritual Force. Status: Healthy.]

Leylin's grin deepened. "Outstanding."

To test his summon further, he resummoned the bound acolyte, expending 1 unit of magic power.

The ghostly figure reappeared before him, obedient as ever.

Leylin ordered, "Use your earth spell."

The spectral acolyte obeyed. Two balls of mud surged from the ground, forming yellow-brown hands—the same spell it had used in its failed ambush.

The moment the spell was cast, the summon dimmed and vanished, returning to Leylin's soulbound space.

"Hahaha… nice, nice." Leylin's laughter echoed through the wilderness.

He had many experiments to conduct, but for now—he would continue his journey.

After all, the world was vast, and he had so much more to learn.