Chapter 34: The Five Nightmares

Cassian thought back to what his undead troop truly signified.

​It wasn’t merely an army of skeletons; it was a legion encompassing every living creature within the cosmos.

’​No race, species, or organism is safe from my summons. As long as they are dead, they can be claimed.’

​Cassian stared at the Summoning Gate as a wave of undead beasts from the Umbralwood continued to step through: Shadowfang Wolves, Duskmantle Panthers, Nightshade Serpents, Umbral Bats, and even towering Shadow Treants.

​Soon after, creatures from the Bonefang Wastes began appearing as well, Bone Hyenas, Grave Rats, Carrion Hounds, Skull Vultures, and Bonecrawler Centipedes.

​The stream of unnatural life continued uninterrupted until the minute finally elapsed, leaving Cassian standing before a varied force of nine hundred special undead belonging to no fewer than ten distinct species.

​"We have a problem here..." Cassian muttered, observing the gathered beasts.

​Although these undead originated from the conquered zones, they weren’t truly identical to the monsters he had fought.

​First, due to the baseline restrictions of his Lord Seed, every single unit possessed only D-Grade Potential, making them far weaker than the wild horrors roaming the surrounding territory.

​Second... their sheer diversity posed a unique dilemma.

​Cassian narrowed his eyes in deep thought.

’Would Fusion even work on this? Fusion is remarkably strict, it didn’t allow me to fuse the Elites once they specialized, let alone creatures of completely different species.’

​Although they shared an undead affinity, race alone wasn’t enough to satisfy the blessing.

Fusion evaluated compatibility, classification, nature, and potential before accepting a target.

​Just as Cassian began considering alternative strategies, he froze.

​His gaze landed on a nearby Shadow Treant, and he instinctively opened its status interface. Yet the species name he expected didn’t appear.

​[Special Undead]

​Cassian blinked. His eyes widened as he immediately turned toward a Skull Vulture.

​[Special Undead]

​He checked a Nightshade Serpent, then a Bonecrawler Centipede.

​One after another, every single beast displayed the exact same designation. The Lord Ledger didn’t register them as separate biological species; instead, it classified them all under a single unifying category: Special Undead.

​Cassian’s heartbeat quickened.

​"That means..." His voice trailed off. "If they’re all considered the exact same type..."

​...then Fusion will work.

​For a brief moment, complete silence settled over Lord’s Hollow.

​Cassian wasn’t merely excited, he felt a faint spark of awe at the sheer scale of the mechanics.

He suddenly realized what this meant: what would happen when wolves fused with panthers, or serpents fused with bats, or Treants fused with centipedes?

​What sort of chimera would be born from such a process?

​This wasn’t just fusing basic skeletons into stronger skeletons; this was combining fundamentally different species to synthesize a superior lifeform, an entity that inherited the strengths of every component while shedding its weaknesses.

A creature carrying the agility of a wolf, the stealth of a serpent, the heightened senses of a bat, and the lethality of a panther, all united within a single frame.

​Cassian felt his throat go dry.

​These weren’t simple laborers, support units, or line soldiers, these were Special Units.

And like his main combat summons, their growth directly fed back into his own progression. Every milestone they achieved would eventually enhance his own capabilities.

​The implications were staggering.

​If Fusion worked across the entire Special Undead category, his army possessed limitless evolutionary potential.

Every newly conquered region would supply new species, every species would introduce new traits, and every trait could be forged into a greater whole.

​An army capable of evolving without end. A legion that would never stop adapting. A force that could theoretically absorb the strengths of every organism in existence.

​The thought alone sent a chill down Cassian’s spine, before a slow grin spread across his face.

​His hesitation vanished entirely. There was only one way to confirm his theory.

​Cassian raised his hand. "Fusion."

​The blessing responded instantly as golden and violet light erupted from above, initiating an evolution unlike anything the Lord’s Domain had ever seen.

....

Cassian stared at the result of his fusion, his pupils shrinking slightly.

​The creatures before him were fewer in number, yet the pressure they emitted was leagues beyond what the original nine hundred special undead had possessed.

It wasn’t the pressure of raw strength alone, but something far more primal, a predatory aura born from countless distinct species being compressed into a superior existence.

​The air around them seemed heavier.

​Even the death energy permeating Lord’s Hollow stirred uneasily in their presence. For a brief moment, Cassian felt as though he was looking at beings that shouldn’t exist.

​There were six creatures in total born from the fusion. Like the skeleton soldiers, once they became specialized, they could no longer be fused further.

​But it was alright, Cassian was more than satisfied with the six.

​Well... at least five out of the six.

​The sixth member was merely a remainder from the mass fusion, a crude combination of a Skull Vulture and a Bone Hyena possessing B-Grade Potential.

Its skeletal frame was covered in patches of dark fur, while malformed wings protruded awkwardly from its back.

Though stronger than ordinary Special Undead, it was clearly inferior to its peers.

​The remaining five, however, were entirely different. Each radiated the undisputed presence of an apex predator, and each possessed SS-Grade Potential.

​The first was a towering creature standing over five meters tall. Its body resembled a Treant, yet its frame was lean and predatory rather than bulky.

Dark, obsidian-like bark covered its muscular frame, while panther-like limbs ended in razor-sharp claws capable of tearing through steel.

Vines coiled around its arms like living muscles, and beneath the bark, two emerald eyes glowed with cold intelligence.

​The second resembled a gigantic wolf. Dark fur covered its body, while a pair of leathery bat wings folded snugly against its flanks.

Extending from its spine was a massive serpent tail whose violet eyes moved completely independently from the wolf’s own.

Even standing still, it exuded an unsettling combination of speed, stealth, and aerial dominance.

​The third took the uncanny form of a humanoid female. Her pale violet skin contrasted sharply against a pair of enormous, dark moth wings stretching from her back.

Two elegant antennae rose from her brow, while glowing violet eyes observed the surroundings with eerie calm.

There was a strange beauty to her appearance, one that felt both enchanting and deeply hazardous.

​The fourth was a humanoid vulture composed almost entirely of bone. Its body was tall and gaunt, with elongated limbs ending in wicked talons.

One side of its body bore a massive skeletal wing, while the other arm remained free, allowing it to move and strike with unnatural agility.

Empty sockets burned with crimson soul fire, giving it the appearance of death itself taking flight.

​The fifth was a colossal, worm-like monstrosity. Its segmented body stretched over fifteen meters long, protected by overlapping plates of black bone.

Hundreds of clawed limbs lined its underside, allowing it to burrow and scuttle with terrifying speed despite its massive size.

Multiple crimson eyes opened across its torso, while a gaping circular maw filled with rotating fangs dominated its head.

​Cassian slowly swept his gaze across the five nightmares.

​His heartbeat accelerated.

​