In the cenote of Emerald Dream, countless plants thrived wildly at the bottom. The trees grew in staggered clusters, allowing sunlight to filter through the gaps in the canopy, casting mottled patches of golden light on the forest floor. Two figures—one dressed in green, the other in black—moved swiftly through the dense jungle, closing in on a group of faint red, blood-like shadows that drifted ahead.
The two soon crouched behind a large boulder, using it as cover. Ryan noticed the upperclassman ahead of him beginning to undergo a transformation. As the man entered a combat-ready state, he activated his contract with his natural pet. A pair of feline ears sprouted atop his head, and a sleek tail extended from behind him. While these traits might be considered charming on a cute girl, on a muscular man they were... striking, to say the least.
Despite the odd appearance, the fusion clearly worked. Ryan could sense a sharp elevation in the man's aura. His speed and agility were instantly and dramatically enhanced. This kind of merging seemed to temporarily grant the human access to some of their pet's abilities. Ryan couldn't help but wonder if this fusion could be performed outside the confines of the Emerald Dream.
The senior turned to Ryan and explained kindly, "This kind of cooperation relies heavily on a high synchronization rate with your pet. Animal-type pets are easier to merge with, but the downside is that their sync rates tend to fluctuate. Plant-type pets are harder to cultivate, but once successful, their cooperation is far more stable. Once you reach a certain synchronization threshold, you'll be able to perform this fusion even in the real world. Our principal and the herbalism professor can already do this. You should try it now—I'll guide you."
"Is this knowledge really free?" Ryan asked, clearly skeptical. His past experiences in the magical world had taught him that nothing came without a price, especially knowledge.
"Of course not," the senior replied bluntly. "There's no such thing as free knowledge. But since you've managed to enter the Emerald Dream on your own, you'd figure this out quickly anyway. Sharing this basic info is my way of extending goodwill. If you want to unlock the full potential of your pet, though, that'll either take personal research—or an exchange with us."
Though his words were realistic, almost cold, Ryan appreciated his directness. It made it easier to decide on his next course of action. Better blunt honesty than hidden motives.
Following his guidance, Ryan began his first fusion experiment with his plant companion—the Green Snake. As a pulse of green light enveloped him, Ryan immediately sensed the merging of Green Snake's strength with his own body. Oddly, the sensation didn't feel like what the senior had described as "beginner level." Instead, it felt like the high-level fusion that comes with an advanced synchronization rate.
After a brief moment of surprise, Ryan understood why. Green Snake was a plant, not an animal—this gave it an inherent advantage in terms of fusion stability. What's more, unlike other plants that needed to be cultivated over long periods and had limited intelligence, Green Snake possessed considerable intellect, allowing seamless communication. Most importantly, Ryan hadn't just raised Green Snake—he had created it from nothing. As its creator, Ryan received Green Snake's complete loyalty and trust. This, combined with Green Snake's recognition by the natural consciousness, had pushed their synchronization rate to an exceptional level.
Ryan even suspected that he could merge with Green Snake outside the Emerald Dream.
Thanks to Green Snake's intellect, Ryan didn't need to spend time figuring out how to use its powers. Green Snake simply explained them. Once merged, Ryan's reaction time and flexibility improved significantly. He gained infrared vision and subdermal scales. He could now use venom spray and control thorns at will. As a bonus, he could restore his physical stamina by absorbing water and sunlight. His physical appearance remained mostly unchanged, save for his eyes turning into vertical snake slits.
When the senior witnessed Ryan completing the fusion in such a short time, his expression shifted to one of visible shock.
"Alright then, watch me carefully," he said, half in boredom, half in frustration. Clearly, Ryan's success had bruised his ego.
Soon, the senior leapt into battle with the nearby Death Shadows. He weaved through the forest like a shadow himself, casting natural magic from his wand while dodging attacks. From Ryan's perspective, the fight didn't look particularly difficult. After all, he'd fought in actual wars before. Compared to those, this looked more like a small-scale skirmish.
The Death Shadows weren't particularly formidable. Their combat style relied heavily on melee attacks, with only one ranged option: firing blood-red air arrows. The process was laughably slow—they had to halt, puff up into balloon-like forms, and then shoot. Such obvious cues made it easy to predict and dodge. Now Ryan understood why the students scattered upon entering this area, and why they had no qualms about bringing a newcomer like him here. This place was essentially a tutorial zone.
Feeling confident, Ryan decided to test out a technique he'd recently learned—Eastern thunder magic. Specifically, the Divine Thunder Technique.
Without hesitation, Ryan raised his hand and drew a rune in the air using magic. Then, he chanted and struck forward.
"Palm Thunder."
A silver-white arc of electricity surged from Ryan's palm, blasting toward a Death Shadow just a few meters away. Upon contact, the creature disintegrated into a puff of green smoke, leaving behind a small, red pearl-like object the size of a soybean.
"Whoa, lightning magic is that effective?" the senior said, shocked. "You took it down with a single hit. I usually need several spells."
"I'm not sure why it worked so well," Ryan admitted. Not wanting to explain the differences between Western and Eastern magical philosophies, he quickly changed the subject. "What's this red bead for?"
"Oh, that?" The senior picked it up. "We call it a Blood Pearl. There's no official name, but the name comes from its appearance. It's one of the rare things in the Emerald Dream that can be brought back to the real world."
Ryan's eyes lit up with interest. "You can bring it out? That's rare. Most plants or resources here can't survive in the real world without magical assistance."
"Yeah, exactly. That's why the Blood Pearl is kind of valuable," the senior replied. "You can feed it to animals or use it as fertilizer. Works pretty well for both."
Ryan blinked. "That's it?"
"Pretty much."
Ryan couldn't help but feel disappointed. After such a fight, the only reward was glorified pet food or compost? This truly was a low-tier area.
But despite that, the experience was valuable in its own right. Not because of loot—but because Ryan had successfully completed his first human-pet fusion, unlocking entirely new combat abilities. Not only did he gain better movement and new senses, but he now wielded a dangerous combination of venom magic and thunder spells. With Green Snake's guidance and unwavering loyalty, Ryan realized that their partnership had already reached a stage most people struggled for years to attain.
This realization filled Ryan with confidence. If he could do this in a novice zone, what would he be capable of in higher-level areas? More importantly, how many more treasures or spells could be unlocked by exploring the fusion between Eastern magic and the strange new rules of the magical world he now inhabited?
As the senior took down another Death Shadow with multiple spells, panting slightly, he glanced back at Ryan. "Still feel like you're just a beginner?"
Ryan smiled. "Not anymore."
The Emerald Dream had much more in store. And Ryan was just getting started.
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