Alisha cast a nce toward Jack, her expression unreadable. The flicker of indecision in her eyes betrayed her internal struggle. ''Should I release him?'' she wondered, her mind racing through the implications. Her fist tightened as her gaze flicked to Naon, whose dark aura loomed ominously in the distance.


    Assessing their dire situation, she realized Jack had nowhere to escape even if he tried. The binds were unnecessary, and—like it or not—his assistance could tip the scales in their favor against this relentless lesser demon. The decision solidified in her mind.


    ''My celestial spear can''t prate that shield,'' she thought, frustration burning in her chest. ''I''ll need a stronger spell.''


    With a fluid motion of her hand, the radiant chains encircling Jack ttered to the ground.


    Jack blinked, momentarily stunned. "Was that... mercy?" he muttered under his breath, but the sharpness in Alisha''s gaze made him think better of testing her patience.


    Instead, he focused on his system screen, eyes narrowing as he calcted his next move. The glowing interface illuminated the dark terrain around him, its data both a lifeline and a grim reminder of his limits.


    [Soul Essence: 350]


    His jaw tightened. Farming soul essence had be second nature—kill ormand his bonded servants to do so—but it came at a cost. Every ability in his necromantic arsenal drained this resource, leaving him with constant tough choices.


    ''I can''t waste this,'' he thought, his fingers twitching with hesitation. Summoning Kurt earlier had already eaten a significant chunk of his reserves. But this wasn''t the time to hoard resources.


    Jack''s lips curled into a faint smirk. ''It''s a gamble, but let''s see just how far this skill can go.'' Stretching his hand toward Naon''s shadowy figure, he whispered with deliberate force, "Arise."


    For the briefest moment, Jack''s eyes glowed with a spectral light, an eerie contrast against the darkness.


    Naon faltered. His attention, previously locked on Alisha''s celestial energy, shifted as he felt a chilling grip coil around him. He nced down, only to see ghostly ck hands wing their way out of the ground, clutching at his shadowy form.


    "What trickery is this?" Naon growled, his flickering blue eyes ring with rm. The puddle of ck blood beneath him bubbled ominously, the hands multiplying with each second.


    Turning sharply, his gaze locked onto Jack. "You," he snarled, his voice tinged with disbelief. "You''re already wielding the lord''s power. Thisplicates things."


    Before Jack could respond, Alisha''s sharp voice cut through the air like a de. "Keep your focus on me, demon!"


    [Heaven''s Light!]


    A radiant beam of holy energy surged from Alisha''s spear, blinding in its intensity. Naon had no time to react. The light struck him with unrelenting force, hurling him through the air like a ragdoll. He crashed through a craggy hill, the impact carving a gaping hole in its side, before skidding to a halt on the other end.


    Naon groaned, disoriented, but his respite was short-lived. A bony spike erupted from the ground, impaling him to the rocky earth. He let out a guttural roar as the jagged spike pinned him in ce.


    Then, from the shadows, a skeletal figure emerged. Its green, flickering eyes burned with malice, and it wielded an enormous warhammer forged from jagged bone. The undead creature towered over Naon, its heavy steps shaking the ground.


    The bone warrior raised its weapon high, the hammerhead gleaming ominously in the dim light. Without hesitation, it brought the weapon down with bone-crushing force.


    "To think... a fellow demon would stoop to aiding a divine incarnate!" Naon snarled, his free hand shooting up to catch the descending hammer. The ground beneath him cracked and caved under the sheer power of the strike.


    Naon''s skeletal fingers trembled as fissures spread across his hand. The force drove him deeper into the ground, but he refused to yield. With a ferocious roar, he unleashed a st of condensed dark energy from his impaled hand. The bone warrior was hurled skyward, the energy detonating mid-air in a deafening explosion. Shattered fragments of bone rained down, scattered like ash.


    Jack chuckled, watching the chaos unfold. ''The system always delivers,'' he thought, his grin widening.@@novelbin@@


    [Bone Warrior Summoned]


    [Level: 10]


    Jack''s system hadid out the options, and he''d chosen wisely. The summons came with their own unique abilities, but the costs were steep.


    [Melee Bone Soldier: Level 5]


    [Bone Warrior: Level 10]


    [Bone Mage: Level 20]


    [Bone Dragon: Level 100]


    The thought of summoning the dragon wasughable—its cost would have drained himpletely. Even the mage and warrior had nearly depleted his resources.


    [Soul Essence Remaining: 10]


    Still, the results were undeniable. Naon''s right arm hung limp, the damage from the coordinated assault evident. Jack relished the sight.


    Alisha hovered above, her gaze unwavering. "You imed Icked the knowledge to wield my powers," she called out, her voice cold and unyielding. "Repeat that now, demon." Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    Naon red at her, defiance burning in his gaze. "You''re nothing!" he spat.


    "Hmph." Alisha scoffed, raising her hands. A massive rune materialized in the sky, its brilliance eclipsing the surrounding darkness. The air hummed with divine energy, and the ground trembled beneath its weight.


    With a swift motion, she unleashed her spell. A pir of searing white light descended upon Naon, engulfing himpletely.


    "Argh!" Naon''s agonized scream echoed as he summoned a dark shield to repel the attack. The barrier cracked and buckled under the relentless assault.


    Jack stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Mind if I lend a hand?" he asked, his tone almost mocking.


    Both Alisha and Naon turned to him, shock evident in their eyes. Jack strode into the holy light, unscathed.


    "How..." Naon began, his voice trembling with disbelief. "How can you walk in the light of Olion? What are you?"


    Jack smirked, his voice low and menacing. "I am the lord of the dead... your lord."


    His hand shot forward, a shadowy de forming in his grip. With a single, decisive sh, the dark weapon pierced Naon''s shield, shattering it like ss.


    "This isn''t over!" Naon roared, his body beginning to dissolve into the shadows.


    But Jack wasn''t done. Summoning thest remnants of his soul essence, he conjured a bone rod that shot through the fading demon''s mouth, silencing him mid-sentence.


    The darkness swallowed Naon, his parting words echoing faintly. "I will return... for you."


    Jack exhaled, exhaustion tugging at his limbs. His system pinged softly, signaling victory.


    Alishanded gracefully beside him, her expression unreadable. "You''re reckless," she said curtly.


    Jack chuckled, ncing at the dwindling soul essence in his system. "Reckless? Maybe. But admit it—I''m fun to watch."


    Alisha''s gaze lingered on him for a moment before she turned away, her thoughts guarded. The battle was won, but the war was far from over.


    "Now tell me, what did you mean earlier"