"Yes!" Sunny shouted instantly, mentally slamming the 'Confirm' button on the blue screen hovering before his eyes.
In that split second, the Fusion Interface inside his mind exploded. The holographic window, usually a dull technological blue, flared with a violent, blinding gold.
A change erupted from the center of the training ground. The swirling vortex of fire and biology collapsed inward. On the screen, the icons for Nova and the Iron-Barrage Stag smashed together, their borders dissolving. The card, previously just a static image of a monster, transformed. It turned into a deep, pulsating crimson a color that screamed danger.
At this moment, Sunny felt a sensation that could only be described as a dopamine overdose.
He felt the heat in his own veins, the weight of the armor on his skin. He instinctively understood the new creature. He knew exactly how much fuel it had, how hot its core was burning, and the precise velocity of its spikes.
Even more so, after the [Chimera Lord] class upgraded to Tier 1, the terrifying creature emerging from the smoke didn't feel like a monster. It felt like an extension of his own body. A third arm. A second heart.
Sunny instantly understood. Is this the true power of a Chimera Lord? If that's the case, I don't need to shout commands anymore. I just need to think.
However, these were clearly just perks, the appetizers to the main course. The most important thing was the System notification flashing in the center of his vision!
[Class Chimera Lord Upgrade Successful! Current Tier: 1.]
[Origin Reward Unlocked: [Fusion Resonance (Network)]]
Sure enough, as the smoke cleared completely to reveal the monstrosity he had created, the feedback from the System flooded Sunny's brain.
However, this time, the reward left Sunny slightly startled. He had assumed the reward for reaching Tier 1 would be a stat boost, or maybe a discount on the fusion costs. To his surprise, this [Fusion Resonance] was something he hadn't seen in any of the textbooks or webnovels he'd read in his past life.
Could it be a rule-breaking ability? Sunny's brow furrowed slightly as he wiped sweat from his face.
Fortunately, as if sensing Sunny's confusion (and his impatience), the System immediately expanded the text:
[Fusion Resonance (Network): An ability birthed from the Chimera Lord Class. Allows the Host to create a 'Resonance Network' between the Main Chimera and other bonded beasts (or even rented beasts). The bonded beasts can temporarily 'borrow' one Active Skill from the Main Chimera, provided their mana core can sustain it.]
[Note 1: The Host can charge a 'Mana Tax' or 'Credit Fee' for this service if applied to non-soul-bound beasts.]
[Note 2: Current Tier 1 Limit: 5 Simultaneous Links.]
[Note 3: Borrowed skills operate at 50% efficiency for non-compatible species, and 100% for compatible ones.]
Looking at this ability, and the almost instinctual understanding of the capitalism embedded within it, Sunny was momentarily dumbfounded.
Then, his jaw dropped.
"Holy shit," he whispered. "This is a fucking gold mine."
This ability, although it depended on his Main Chimera being strong, had a heaven-defying effect! Compared to just fighting with a strong monster, this practicality was much broader even terrifying. What did this mean?
Actually, it was quite simple. From the feedback of the System and Sunny's dawning realization of the economics, he understood he could link 5 random beasts to his new creation.
Then, these 5 random beasts let's say, trash Tier 1 rats belonging to D-Class students could suddenly use [Magma Volley] or [Obsidian Shield].
Generally, a student would spend months training a beast to learn a single elemental skill. It cost thousands of Credits for skill books. It took weeks of meditation. But with this connection, Sunny could literally rent out a high-tier skill instantly.
Imagine the D-Class students who were about to fail their exams because their beasts lacked offense. Sunny could walk up to them, link their rat to his Chimera, and boom—their rat is now spitting lava for ten minutes. Enough to pass an exam. Enough to clear a dungeon.
The levels of skill cultivation in this world were divided into Beginner, Proficient, Expert, and Master. Almost every skill level upgrade brought an unimaginable price tag in the Exchange Hall. Even the significant hurdle from Proficient to Expert for a basic skill like 'Fireball' cost more than a commoner family earned in a year.
Indeed, the power of a Tamer was usually linked to their wallet. Prince Valerian was strong because he could buy high-tier skill books for his Whale.
But now, with this ability, could Sunny act as a Skill Provider?
"If I fuse a monster with a rare healing skill, I can link it to five people and become a walking hospital. If I fuse a monster with a rare defense skill, I can turn a squishy party into tanks."
Previously, Sunny had decided to walk the path of a solo carry, crushing everyone with his fused monsters. But now, that idea seemed too small. Too limited. With the [Fusion Resonance], he could properly cultivate a guild. Or better yet, a cartel.
The only slight disappointment was that the borrowed skills drained the user's mana. If a trash rat tried to use a Tier 2 Lava Eruption, it might pass out after one shot. But that wasn't Sunny's problem. That was the customer's problem.
Otherwise, if he fused a beast with [Hyper-Regeneration], it would mean all linked beasts would become unkillable zombies for the duration of the link. And if he eventually fused a dragon... wouldn't he be able to let Gorn's pig shoot Dragon's Breath?
"That would be somewhat too overpowered," Sunny muttered, a grin threatening to split his face. "Actually, scratch that. It's exactly the right amount of overpowered."
Feeling this ability, besides wondering if he could create a squad of lava-spitting squirrels, another idea occurred to Sunny.
Could his 'Generalist' reputation be the perfect cover for a new business? A business focusing on "Instant Skill Rentals"!
For essential combat exams, if a student needs [Iron Skin] to survive a hit from an instructor, charging 500 Credits for a 10-minute rental wouldn't be too much, would it? If it's a dungeon carry service, where he links their beasts to his Chimera so they can get the 'Last Hit' and gain the EXP themselves... asking for a 50% cut of the loot would be reasonable, right?
Too expensive? If you find it expensive, go buy a skill book for 50,000 Credits! That's the price for being mediocre!
Thinking this, Sunny's lips curled into an enthusiastic, predatory smile.
He finally looked up at the creature he had created.
It floated in the center of the training ground, radiating waves of heat that distorted the air.
It was no longer the small Nova or the mechanical Beetle. It was the size of a car. Its body was a thick, segmented shell made of black obsidian, but between every plate, veins of blindingly white magma pulsed like a heartbeat. It had six legs, each tipped with burning claws. On its back, two massive, crystalline cannons formed from the beetle's old spike-launchers now glowed with concentrated fire mana.
[Monster Info]
Name: Hellfire Siege-Stag (Nova Form)
Rank: Unique (Tier 3 - Low)
Level: 1
Attributes:
Fire: Extreme
Defense: High
Range: Extreme
Active Skill: [Magma Railgun] – Fires superheated obsidian spikes at Mach 1.
Passive Skill: [Reactor Core] – Generates immense heat. Anyone within 5 meters takes continuous burn damage.
"Tier 3..." Sunny breathed out.
A Tier 3 monster. That was the level of a graduating senior. Or a standard Instructor. And he had it in his first month.
"Gah!" The creature chirped.
Despite looking like a war machine from hell, the voice was still Nova's. It sounded like crackling firewood. The massive, terrifying insectoid head tilted, and two burning eyes looked at Sunny with pure affection.
"You look beautiful, buddy," Sunny walked up to it. The heat was intense, but his [Chimera Lord] connection nullified the damage. He patted the obsidian shell. It was hot enough to melt steel, but to him, it felt like a warm blanket.
Suddenly, the bushes rustled at the edge of the training ground.
Sunny spun around, his hand instinctively going to his Shiv. The Hellfire Siege-Stag swiveled its cannons instantly, a low hum of power filling the air.
"Who's there?" Sunny barked.
A figure stepped out, hands raised. It was Lyra.
Her usually stoic, icy face was pale. She was staring at the Hellfire Siege-Stag with wide, trembling eyes. Her Frost Falcon was cowering on her shoulder, burying its head in her hair.
"Sunny..." Lyra's voice shook. "What... what is that?"
She had come to check on him, maybe ask about his meeting with Jett. She expected to see him feeding his cute little lava doll.
Instead, she walked into the presence of a calamity. The mana pressure radiating from the beast was making her knees weak.
Sunny relaxed his stance. He looked at Lyra, then at his magnificent beast, and then thought about his new [Fusion Resonance] ability.
"This?" Sunny leaned against the burning leg of his monster, crossing his arms. "This is the Employee of the Month."
He looked at Lyra's terrified Frost Falcon.
"Hey, Lyra," Sunny smiled, and it was the smile of a devil selling water in the desert. "Your Falcon... it lacks firepower, doesn't it? How would you like it to shoot magma for the next hour?"
Lyra blinked, confused and terrified. "What?"
"I'm starting a new service," Sunny took a step forward, his eyes glowing with the reflection of the magma. "First dose is free. But after that... it's going to cost you."
He tapped the obsidian shell of the Siege-Stag.
"Welcome to the Chimera Rental Shop. Business is open."