The Wolf King's flames rose higher—much higher.

Its body glowed with bright blue fire, overflowing like a burning river.

Mike's eyes widened.

"…That's King's Last Stand," he muttered.A rare boss skill.For one minute, the Wolf King's strength doubled—no, more than doubled.+100% power.+100% speed.+100% mana output.

Its aura shook the entire dome.

Mike raised his sword again, but his arms felt cold.

If I take that full power alone… I might actually die.

He pulled out two mana potions at once.

Gulp—Gulp—!

Blue energy filled him, restoring every bit of mana.

"Alright," he sighed, "no more holding back."

He stretched out his hand.

A black circle opened beneath him—like a hole in reality.

Cold wind blew out.

Strange whispers echoed.

The grass around him withered instantly.

A tall figure stepped out, wrapped in black robes, bones exposed, eyes glowing with green fire.

The Eldritch Lich.

Its presence alone made the air heavy and cold.

A low, rattling laugh escaped its skull.

"Kekekekeke… You finally summoned me, young one."

Mike pointed at the raging Wolf King.

"No time for greetings. Attack it."

The Lich turned.Its glowing eyes focused on the Wolf King.

The Wolf King roared at the intruder, blue flames blasting upward like a geyser.

The Lich didn't flinch.

A circle of black magic appeared beneath it—

WHOOM!

Darkness erupted, swirling like a storm.A wave of dread rolled across the battlefield.

Mike felt chills even though he was on the Lich's side.

"Damn… that aura is still creepy," he whispered.

The Lich raised its hand.

"Begin—Eldritch Assault."

SPEARS OF DARKNESS formed in the air behind it—ten… twenty… thirty of them, all twisting with cursed energy.

The Wolf King crouched, flames snapping louder, ready to launch.

Mike braced himself again.

"Okay, King… let's see if you can handle this round."

The Lich unleashed the attack—

FWOOSH! FWOOSH! FWOOSH!

Dozens of dark spears flew straight at the Wolf King.

The Wolf King roared and charged into them, blue flames exploding outward in a massive burst.

The dark spears struck the Wolf King from every angle.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Blue flames burst outward as the Wolf King tried to burn them away, claws slashing, fangs snapping, body twisting like a tornado of cerulean fire.

But the Lich didn't stop.

Its empty jaw clacked once.

"Kekekeke… struggling already?"

The Wolf King roared furiously and launched forward, leaving a trail of blue fire behind it.It moved at incredible speed—King's Last Stand made it almost invisible.

But the Lich simply raised one hand.

SHAAA—

A wall of shadow appeared in front of it.

The Wolf King crashed into it—

THUD!!

The shadow didn't even move.

Mike's jaw dropped.

"Seriously? That wall didn't budge…"

The Wolf King jumped back and used Blade Fangs—dozens of mana blades shot toward the Lich.

FWIP! FWIP! FWIP! FWIP!

The Lich waved its hand lazily.

All the blades melted into black smoke before they even touched him.

"Kekekeke… child's tricks."

The Wolf King growled, flames burning hotter from insult.It crouched low, then shot forward with Cerulean Pounce, faster than ever before.

Mike's eyes widened.

"That one might hit—"

But the Lich didn't dodge.

It simply caught the Wolf King with one skeletal hand.

GRAB.

Mike's breath stopped.

The Wolf King thrashed wildly, blue fire blasting in all directions, claws digging into the ground, trying to break free—

But the Lich held it with the same effort someone uses to hold a puppy.

"Kekekekeke… so much noise," the Lich hissed.

The Wolf King snapped its fangs toward the Lich's skull—

The Lich flicked a finger.

A shockwave of dark magic exploded—

BAM!!!

The Wolf King was sent flying across the dome, smashing into the barrier so hard that the entire structure flashed and trembled.

Mike shielded his eyes from the blast of wind.

"…Wow. Just… wow. That was a bit much."

The Wolf King staggered up on shaky legs, flames flickering weakly.Its Last Stand buff was still active, but its body was reaching its limit.

The Lich floated forward, each step slow, controlled, ancient.

"You burn bright, little king," it said calmly, "but you burn too soon."

The Wolf King roared one last time, gathering all its remaining power—cerulean flames swallowing its body like a blue star.

Mike whispered, "Final charge…"

The Wolf King dashed—

The Lich raised both hands.

Darkness spiraled outward.

Two forces collided—

BOOOOOOM!!

The dome shook.

Cracks spread across the ground.

Blue and black flames exploded together in a massive blast.

When the smoke cleared…

The Wolf King was lying on the ground, exhausted, barely conscious.Its Last Stand flames faded away like dying sparks.

The Lich hovered above it, perfectly unharmed.

"Kekekeke… a pup, indeed."

Mike exhaled slowly.

"Yeah… fight's over."

"Kekekeke… oh, my flesh-full master, do be sure to call me again,"the Lich said with a wide, unsettling grin, its bones shaking as it waved dramatically.

Mike stared at it, expression flat.

"…That skeleton is just as weird as the first time I saw him."

When he first used the summoning skill, he'd expected a cold, silent, terrifying undead overlord—something that would stand behind him like a shadow of death.

Instead…

He got this goofy guy.

A lich who came out dancing and singing:

"Yesss, I am free~ I get a master~~!"

Mike had learned from him afterward that, in the Netherworld, countless undead wait for a chance to be summoned into the mortal dimension.

When Mike used the skill for the first time, a contract-free summoning circle appeared in the Netherworld—and this particular lich literally killed every other lich fighting for the opportunity, just so he could bind himself to whoever sent that summoning circle.

All for a single goal:

To return to the Mortal Dimension.

And the price for that was…

A lifetime contract.

Until Mike died.

But according to him, it is nothing compared to his dull life in the Netherworld.

Mike on the other hand reached the Wolf who lay on the ground panting as his body didn't have any more energy to even move.

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