Infinite Mana Exorcist
Chapter 31: Soul Binder

Chapter 31: Soul Binder

The depths of the beast’s throat and its deadly fangs closed in on the exorcist too fast for him to evade.

At this point, it was already too late to dodge. His body was frozen in fear, paralyzed by the overwhelming presence of death itself. There was nothing left for him to do but stare—

Stare at his own demise.

The massive fangs clamped down on his upper body, crushing him from the waist up with a sickening crunch.

A muffled scream echoed from inside the beast’s maw, but it was nothing more than a fleeting sound, lost to the oppressive silence of death.

Blood sprayed as the Night Terror’s jaws twisted, separating the exorcist’s torso from his lower body. The upper half vanished down the creature’s throat, devoured without hesitation, while the legs collapsed to the ground with a dull thud, soaking the earth in crimson.

From afar, Fey and Nimora instinctively pressed their backs against the wall, fear gripping them like an iron vice.

"We have to go... I—it’s distracted." Fey whispered, tugging at Nimora’s arm, urging her to move.

But she did not move.

Her expression hardened, her features twisted with unfiltered rage. Hate burned in her eyes, deep and unrelenting. The Night Terror had already angered her beyond reason, and now its actions had ignited something far worse—something personal.

Her brother was dead.

And she was not going to run.

Even if it was the right decision, even if it meant her death, she was going to fight.

"If you want to run, get the hell out of here. I’m not leaving my brother..." Nimora hissed, breaking free from Fey’s grasp. She stepped forward, emerging from the safety of the wall, her grip tightening around the hilts of her twin swords.

"If anyone is going to kill this thing, it’ll be me. After all, it’s not like you’re anything close to that bastard. Run, you peasant."

She drew her blades in one fluid motion. Cold steel glinted under the dim light, but her mind was elsewhere. Her thoughts raced—desperate, searching for a way, any way to bridge the impossible gap between her strength and Asher’s.

’How did Asher develop his Soul Ability?’

’Think... is it about finding the mana within one’s soul? Just like the sword?’

She squinted, forcing her focus inward, attempting to grasp something hidden deep within herself.

But the Night Terror had already noticed her.

The beast moved.

With a thunderous roar, it launched forward, its massive claws ripping into the ground as it gained momentum. Each leap closed the distance with terrifying speed, a monstrous force of nature that would crush her within seconds.

Fey clenched his jaw.

He could not let that happen.

Sword in hand, he charged to intercept the Night Terror, aiming to slow it down, if only for a moment.

The creature saw him approach.

This time, it did not make the same mistake.

Stopping abruptly beside a large piece of debris, the Night Terror raised its powerful paw and slammed it into the wreckage with full force. The impact shattered the stone into countless fragments, sending a deadly storm of rock and dust hurtling toward Fey.

The attack was unexpected. If he didn’t counter it immediately, it would be the end.

Fey took a sharp breath.

Mana surged through his sword as he swung it in rapid, precise motions. Searing white crescent beams erupted from his blade, cutting through the incoming boulders, shattering them into harmless rubble.

But the dust—the thick, suffocating cloud of dust—remained.

The air turned violent. Wind and debris tore at his vision, forcing him to raise his arms in defense, momentarily blind.

As the storm of dust settled, he lowered his hands—ready for an attack.

What he saw instead made his blood freeze.

A vast, all-consuming darkness had replaced the sky above him.

No.

Not the sky.

A mouth.

The yawning maw of the Night Terror loomed over him, plummeting down to bite his upper body clean from his lower half.

It was too fast. Too close.

Impossible to escape.

Fey swallowed, dread sinking into his bones.

This was it.

This was his end.

---

From afar—

Nimora saw it.

Saw how Fey was about to die.

Because of her.

She clenched her jaw. There was no time. No more hesitation.

A golden energy flickered around her, weak and unstable, but it was there. A Soul Ability.

She planted her left foot forward, pulled her upper body back, and with everything she had—she poured every ounce of golden energy into her blade.

Her grip tightened.

With a roar, she hurled the sword with all her might.

The air cracked.

A thunderous explosion accompanied the blade as it tore through the wind, a golden streak of power cutting through space itself—

And into the cranium of the Night Terror’s head.

A resounding boom split the battlefield as the beast’s skull shattered. The impact sent shockwaves through its entire body, causing it to recoil violently. A screech of agony tore from its remaining heads as one of its necks snapped, its dismembered head collapsing lifelessly onto its own body.

Fey stumbled back, breathless. He turned sharply, eyes wide in disbelief as he saw Nimora standing there, barely holding herself together.

She had saved him.

Without hesitation, he rushed to her side, reaching her just as her body gave out. She collapsed into his arms, too exhausted to stand.

"You overused yourself." Fey spoke in a low voice, trying to calm her down.

Nimora gritted her teeth. She wasn’t done yet. But her body was.

Pushing her Soul Ability unnaturally had drained her completely, leaving her unable to move.

Her breathing was uneven.

Still, she forced the words out.

"The beast... isn’t done yet."

Fey stiffened.

Slowly, he turned back to the Night Terror.

Both remaining heads burned with unfiltered rage, a seething, uncontrollable fury. The air around it shifted, thickening with a sinister energy.

A terrible feeling crept into Fey’s gut.

They had lost.

There was no winning from here—not when he had to fight while protecting Nimora.

Then—

A shuddering pulse of energy filled the air.

[ Night Terror has entered Berserk Mode. ]

The beast’s entire body turned red, its muscles swelling with newfound strength. It let out an earth-shaking roar, crouched low—

And then lunged forward with terrifying speed.

"What?!" Fey’s voice barely left his throat as he watched in utter awe.

Something had just happened.

Something impossible.

From the side, a blur of red and blue streaked past—so fast it was nearly invisible to the human eye.

A sharp, sickening schlick tore through the battlefield.

The next moment—

Both of the Night Terror’s remaining heads fell.

Beheaded in an instant.

The massive body stumbled forward before collapsing onto its side, blood pouring from its remains.

Silence.

Then—

[ Level One Complete. ]

[ The queen is the most capable piece on the chessboard. You have managed to keep the queen alive. ]

Fey and Nimora stared, breathless.

None of this made sense.

Something had struck the Night Terror down effortlessly—a creature they had struggled to wound, a creature that had killed countless exorcists.

And then—

A sound.

Rocks rolling against stone.

Their eyes darted toward the source.

A figure emerged, cloaked in an ominous red energy, tendrils of power swirling around him. The energy itself seemed alive, shifting, forming monstrous faces before dissolving into the air.

The person stepped forward.

Red hair. A familiar face.

It was Asher.