"Shade"

As soon as I uttered those words, Shade appeared by my side, kneeling through a vortex.

"You summoned me, my king?"

Shade said, keeping her head bowed. To be honest, my hope in this battle was entirely centered on Shade; I was certain I couldn't defeat the Lich using the powers I had acquired since arriving in this world.

The strength emanating from the Lich far exceeded that of the last bosses I had faced, probably even the Hydra. Moreover, I was in a race against time; I had no idea what kind of curse had been cast on the girls. Therefore, I needed to defeat him as quickly as possible, as that would likely dispel the curse.

As I reflected on this, the Lich, upon witnessing Shade's arrival, began to examine her with great apparent interest.

"Amazing, you've even managed to subdue a spirit of such high level. The more I learn about you, the more I desire to study you"

I never imagined I could feel such disgust for someone as I did for the Lich at that moment. His words were deeply disturbing, and he uttered them without the slightest hint of guilt or remorse. It seemed that, to him, his actions were entirely justified. It was imperative that I eliminate him right there before he could cause more havoc in the future.

"Shade... do you think you can defeat him?"

Upon hearing my question, Shade looked in the direction of the Lich, who seemed to have become lost in his own thoughts. After a few seconds, Shade lowered her gaze again.

"Easily, my king... but..."

Shade said, her last words carrying a tone of hesitation, as if she were unsure whether to continue.

"Alright, tell me what you're thinking"

I said. Upon hearing my words, Shade nodded and then voiced her concerns.

"I fear that, as it is now, the king's body may not withstand my full power"

Shade said, her gaze looking incredibly guilty as she expressed this concern, as if her words were utter blasphemy. Honestly, I found it a bit amusing, but this was not the ideal time for jokes.

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"How much of your power can I currently use?"

I asked Shade. Upon hearing my words, she remained silent for a few seconds, and then her voice echoed again.

"... Five percent... more than that, and I fear the king's body would likely collapse"

Shade replied after the brief silence. To be honest, I already knew I wouldn't be able to use all of Shade's power, but that didn't mean the fight was lost.

(Five percent is probably enough)

With that thought in mind, a smile formed on my face. For some reason, I felt that as long as I had Shade, I wouldn't lose.

"Shade, let's begin. Keep your power usage at five percent"

Listening to my words, Shade nodded. Right after that, Shade's body began to turn transparent. It was the first time I had witnessed this, so I really didn't know how to react. Perhaps noticing my uncertainty, Shade began to explain what she was doing.

"Spirits live between the material realm and the spiritual realm, my king. Only when we are in this state can we provide our full support to our contractors"

Shade explained, dispelling any confusion I might have had. Saying these words, Shade suddenly disappeared, which surprised me. Looking around, there was no sign of Shade whatsoever. Suddenly, a voice appeared behind me, catching my attention.

"My king, please feel the connection we have. This connection will allow you to harness my powers"

Shade's voice whispered, echoing in my ears. After the words, I felt two arms wrap around my neck from behind.

"Please, close your eyes, my king"

Shade's voice whispered again. Following her instructions, my eyes closed. Instantly, all I saw was darkness. However, even with my eyes closed, the sensation of being somewhere else was undeniable, as if I had been teleported to an unknown place.

Slowly, I opened my eyes, but contrary to what I expected, I was not back to my normal state. The environment around me was complete emptiness, with no landmarks, clear directions, or a sense of up and down.

While these thoughts raced through my mind, something astonishing happened: an intense burning sensation took hold of my hand. The pain was so sharp that my face contorted involuntarily. When I examined my hand, I found a glowing symbol that seemed to have a life of its own, radiating intense light.

"My king, this is proof of our connection. Please, try to touch it"

Shade's voice echoed again, but this time, directly in my mind. Following her words, I touched the symbol. Within seconds, a series of knowledge began to be transferred into my mind. Though I felt a slight discomfort, it was minimal. I closed my eyes to better absorb the information, and when I opened them again, I was back in the castle.

"I don't know what you did, but it's quite evident that your aura has changed"

I heard the Lich's voice, and I directed my gaze straight at him. The skeletons he had summoned were still around us, but my apprehension had diminished. With a calm expression, I raised my hand and pointed it forward.

"Shade"

Calling for Shade, I felt arms enveloping my neck from behind.

"Yes, my king"

Hearing Shade's words, the words began to flow naturally from my mouth.

"Dark Rain"

Normally, I shouldn't know the name of this ability, let alone be able to use it, but the words were etched in my mind, almost as if I had known them from birth. Suddenly, the previously illuminated area became abruptly dark. From the ceiling, dark raindrops began to fall, all of them dark. When they touched the skeletons summoned by the Lich, the drops caused them to melt almost instantly.