NOVEL WEB Chapter 104: Train
Even shadows would be sucked in by the black hole, for its very nature was to devour everything.
However, compared to matter, absorbing shadows was far easier since they were too light.
Oliver only had to exert so much force because there were so many shadows to draw in.
"Stop, stop!" the wolf suddenly roared, its voice trembling with fear.
It seemed to finally sense the threat of death.
In just a short time, the entire Shadow Domain was swallowed by the black hole, leaving only the wolf itself—which, though more difficult to pull, was still being dragged in.
Realizing that in shadow form it was far too vulnerable, the wolf reverted to its original body.
Even then, its massive frame was being pulled toward the small black hole.
Oliver had no plans to relent—he intended to end this fight.
"Baby, I can kill it…" Ivy suddenly stepped forward.
To Oliver's surprise, she controlled the Undead Emperor—clad in luxurious black robes and a golden crown.
It seemed that after her recent level-up, she had finally gained the ability to control the Emperor, though she could no longer command her other undead at the same time.
Oliver watched as the Emperor raised its staff toward the wolf.
ROAR!
From the staff burst forth a massive darkness shaped like a head with its mouth gaping wide.
It was wide enough to devour the wolf whole.
All of it was pure Death Power, and Oliver could feel the endless death force consuming the wolf's life.
Even to him, the Undead Emperor was terrifying. He could sense that it could wield its death energy in many ways that could threaten even him.
This was what made Ivy such a terrifying Necromancer.
It didn't take long before that gaping mouth spat out the Shadow Wolf Boss—now reduced to bare bones. All its flesh had been consumed by death itself.
Even the monster core was left as nothing more than a hollow shell.
Ivy looked drenched in sweat after controlling the Emperor, showing that it wasn't an easy task for her.
It was far easier to let it merge with someone else.
Seeing Oliver's shocked expression, Ivy gave him a faint smile.
She seemed to have leveled up again, and she was visibly delighted.
"I'll turn this wolf's skeleton into my undead first," she said.
"Alright…" Oliver didn't mind waiting.
It didn't take her long. Afterward, they finally left the Chaotic World and returned to Earth.
"Let's relax for a bit," Oliver suggested.
He felt somewhat drained and wanted a cup of coffee, so he brought Ivy to a café filled with young people, most of them couples.
Oliver and Ivy sat in the corner, ordering iced lattes and a few snacks like fries.
"Darling, I've actually discovered a special method to master the Absolute Fusion Technique," Oliver said.
Ivy's eyes widened in surprise.
"Really? Have you already mastered it?" she asked.
"Not yet. I haven't tried this method, and I'll need your help. It's not too difficult. Afterward, I'll be able to fuse with your Undead Emperor—but it does mean you'll lose him," Oliver replied.
Seeing how powerful the Emperor was and how well Ivy wielded it, he felt reluctant to take it from her. Though in the end, he would benefit greatly, since every monster killed would give him EXP.
But as a cultivator, he knew he wouldn't always be fighting.
"Don't worry. I can already try summoning another Undead Emperor. All I'll need is to sacrifice some powerful undead. That's why I want to hunt monster bosses and turn them into my undead," Ivy replied, not looking as though she'd be losing anything important.
Oliver was a little surprised that she could already attempt summoning another Emperor.
But with that assurance, he felt relieved.
"Then what do I need to do to help you master the Absolute Fusion Technique?" Ivy asked.
"It's like this…" Oliver explained the method to her.
Ivy was stunned to hear that it required merging with another being first.
It could be done by fusing with undead—or through intimacy with the opposite sex.
When Oliver asked her opinion, Ivy answered honestly from her perspective.
"In my view, it's better if you train the technique by merging with my undead. That's a more complete fusion, a union of the entire body. If this really works, the result could be even better—you might comprehend the Absolute Fusion Technique by more than 5%, maybe far more than you expect."
Her suggestion wasn't because she was unwilling to help him with her own body. After all, it was just making love, something they had already done—and she even desired it again.
For her, nothing compared to the desire to be with him.
But she thought rationally.
Oliver nodded, finding her reasoning sound.
Naturally, he would put aside his lust and choose the better path if it meant a greater result.
"Do you want to train now?" Ivy asked, looking ready to help him anytime.
Oliver felt that the sooner the better.
"Alright…" He nodded and finished his coffee.
Afterward, he stood up.
"Where will you train?" Ivy asked curiously.
Oliver smiled, then took her hand and led her in search of a wide yet secluded place.
Eventually, they found an abandoned warehouse.
There, he summoned a portal to the World of Shadows, stepping through with Ivy in tow.
Naturally, he needed a vast space to place the artifact when summoned, since it was too large otherwise.
In an instant, they appeared inside the World of Shadows.
For Oliver, Ivy was the lover he trusted the most. Naturally, he had no problem sharing the secret of the World of Shadows with her.
If she wanted to create her own manifestations, he wouldn't mind.
Ivy was stunned the moment she stepped inside.
There were no Oliver manifestations here—one was left in his new house, the other still in his old room.
With his current power, he felt it wasn't an issue to add another one.
That was part of his plan.
"What is this place?" Ivy asked in bewilderment, even suspecting it was part of the Chaotic World.
"An independent world," Oliver answered casually with a faint smile.
"And it's not just a simple independent world," he added.
As Ivy stared at him in confusion, he began creating a new manifestation of himself.
Ivy's eyes widened as she saw the identical figure appear—completely indistinguishable from the real Oliver.
"What exactly is this?" she whispered.
"Basically, it's an artifact that lets you create a manifestation identical to your real body—not just in appearance, but also in power," Oliver explained, giving her a more detailed account.
He simply didn't tell her how he obtained it.
"So something this miraculous exists…" Ivy muttered.
"You can create your own manifestation too," Oliver said, handing her the ring with the black stone—the control device of the World of Shadows.
Ivy was amazed yet again when she received it.
With just a thought, she created her manifestations.
From one, then two—she produced two manifestations.
"What about your undead?" Oliver asked.
Her undead were part of her being, so he wanted to know if each manifestation gained them as well.
"I get manifestations of them too, though they seem a bit imperfect," Ivy replied.
"But it doesn't matter. Even my manifestations can summon my true undead, since they exist in a different dimension," she added.
"That sounds bizarre," Oliver muttered.
"Alright then, let me merge with one of your undead now—just an ordinary one," he said.
Ivy nodded, summoning one.
Oliver didn't rush to merge immediately. He first sat down and drew out a few drops of Absorath's blood.
Without hesitation, he absorbed them into his body before fusing with Ivy's undead.
The sensation of the blood shocked him.
He didn't feel hot or cold—just a strange, indescribable feeling, as though he were undergoing endless fusion.
That very sensation then granted him extraordinary enlightenment regarding fusion.
His mind naturally focused on the Absolute Fusion Technique, as though Absorath's blood knew that was what he desired.
The enlightenment was so profound that all his confusion about the technique was effortlessly unraveled.
He didn't just gain bits of understanding—he comprehended it in vast amounts all at once.
His progress wasn't just 5%. It was many times beyond that, thanks to his immense talent.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally awoke.
(Technique:
– Absolute Fusion Technique (50.55%) +49)
He stared at the data, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
He thought his comprehension might increase by 10%—20% at most. But the result reached 50%.
Even now, he felt that deepening his understanding of the technique no longer seemed difficult.
"Darling." He turned to Ivy, who had been standing and watching over him.
"How long?" he asked, detaching himself from the undead.
He was worried that if he continued, he might accidentally trigger the Absolute Fusion Technique and fully merge with the ordinary undead.
That was something he couldn't accept—even though he could still fuse with the Undead Emperor now that his comprehension had reached 50%.
"Only one minute. Are you finished already?" Ivy asked in confusion.
Oliver was stunned, disbelief written on his face.
Only one minute? Why did it feel like so long? He had even feared that ten hours had passed.