A Cultivator in the World Dominated By Awakeners
Chapter 42: Fusion

Chapter 42: Fusion

The rumbling of the black clouds only grew stronger over time, practically scaring off many nearby creatures.

It didn’t take long before the black clouds parted, revealing what lay within them.

An Undead figure sat upon a throne constructed entirely from interlocking bones.

He was about the average height of a man, unarmored, but wore a luxurious open black robe emblazoned with a dragon emblem.

Unlike typical undead, his body showed almost no gaps—the empty spaces in his skeletal frame were filled with golden bones, while his main skeletal structure remained black.

His head was crowned with long golden hair and a prominent red horn that jutted from his forehead. He even wore a golden crown, and in one hand, he held a twisted brown wooden staff, shaped like a serpent.

Around his body, Death Energy swirled densely, forming various monster heads that seemed to snarl and hiss in silence.

"Aghh!" Ivy suddenly groaned, clenching her teeth.

"What’s wrong?" Oliver asked.

"It’s not enough. I can summon him—but I can’t control him yet. It’s like trying to control fifty undead at once, and I can’t do that right now," Ivy replied, strained.

Oliver simply nodded, not too surprised—especially considering the intense aura radiating from the Undead Emperor.

Of course, he was still under Ivy’s control.

The Emperor descended with his throne, landing in front of her.

But without Ivy’s control, he looked like nothing more than a lifeless corpse.

"Love, if you want to fuse with the Undead Emperor, just stand in front of him and touch him while thinking about fusion. I’ve already activated the Fusion Skill," Ivy said.

"I’ll give it a try," Oliver replied.

Just fusing—it didn’t sound like anything difficult.

This was what set Ivy apart from other necromancers: her fusion ability, which allowed others to share her summons.

When Oliver stood before the Undead Emperor, he followed Ivy’s instructions.

Immediately, his body and the Emperor’s began pulling toward each other, not colliding, but rather merging—his form turning somewhat transparent before sinking into the Undead Emperor.

"Mmm..." The Emperor’s eyes opened—or more precisely, glowed, since they had already been open, burning a deep blood-red.

An expression of surprise flickered across the Emperor’s face—as a reflection of Oliver’s own shock.

The dark night was now clear as day through these eyes. He could even see ants crawling in the shadows.

Crack!

His bones creaked as he began to move.

He couldn’t feel his own strength anymore—but now he was filled with the Undead Emperor’s seemingly limitless power: Death Energy.

He actually felt stronger than when he had previously fused with any other undead.

It must be due to the Emperor’s much higher level.

Oddly, the Observation Ring he wore now appeared on the Emperor’s finger.

It still displayed a virtual screen in front of him, showing status data:

(Race: Undead)

(Class: Undead Emperor)

(Level: 10)

(EXP: 78/100)

(Skill: - Death Power: Absolute Control!)

The data was different from what cultivators saw—far simpler. This was likely how an Awakener’s status appeared.

He even saw the EXP bar, which should technically belong to Ivy.

Of course, the most shocking part was that the Undead Emperor had only one skill.

He had expected many.

But even with just one, it wasn’t something to take lightly—especially with the word "absolute" in the name.

Oliver’s instincts told him this skill allowed him to manipulate Death Energy however he desired—limited only by his imagination.

In other words, he can create new skills related to death.

This kind of ability was incredible. Even if he didn’t want to use Death Energy to attack, he could still create all kinds of support skills.

Besides that, Death Energy had unique traits when used for offense—traits that Void Energy lacked.

’If I fully fuse with this Undead Emperor, that skill will become one of my techniques’ he thought.

’But ideally, I’ll master it instantly—no need to study it piece by piece.’

That was the benefit of being an Awakener. Once they had a skill—whether from awakening or added later—they could use it right away.

At worst, they couldn’t use it effectively at low levels. But the higher the level, the better they could wield it—similar to how cultivators gained power as their understanding of techniques deepened.

Of course, Awakeners had the advantage. Everything for them came down to killing monsters and leveling up.

However, just like cultivators couldn’t use advanced techniques without a foundational scripture, Awakeners also couldn’t use elemental skills unrelated to their class element.

For example, Ivy was a Necromancer, so she couldn’t use Wind-type skills.

The only workaround was to add a new class—which was far from easy.

Oliver could feel the fusion experience sparking new inspiration within him, even if he wasn’t sure what form it would take.

Then, he separated from the Undead Emperor.

Ivy watched him reappear, her eyes curious—wondering what he was thinking now.

"Are you really willing to give me this Undead Emperor when I master the Absolute Fusion Technique?" Oliver asked her.

Even asking the question made him feel uncomfortable.

The Undead Emperor was Ivy’s strongest warrior—and she would lose him.

From Oliver’s perspective, no one would willingly make such a sacrifice.

But Ivy was an exception. Her brain seemed to shut down whenever it came to him.

Yes, she would still gain EXP if he fused with the Emperor and fought—but she couldn’t always be with him. If he didn’t kill monsters, she got nothing.

"Anything I can give you, I will. I’d rather give it to you than keep it for myself. I can always find another Undead Emperor—if I try," Ivy said calmly, without hesitation.

She stepped closer, reaching up to touch his face.

"What matters is... that you stay mine," she added.

Oliver: "..."

He wanted to ask if she had completely lost her mind for a man—but he was that man, and he was the one benefiting from her lack of rational thinking.

"Baby!" the girl suddenly hugged him, bringing her face close to his.

After making out with him twice, she now seemed unafraid to take the lead, especially since it was clear he had a deep desire for her body.