FUSION!...

Inside the dim cave, Ray sat perched atop a massive boulder, nearly 15 to 20 meters high. His chest heaved with each labored breath, beads of sweat trailing down his face as he tried to recover. Damn… that climb took more out of me than I expected.

Below, the chaotic battle raged on. The Chicken Phoenixes and the Red-Eye Mice tore into each other with savage ferocity. Ray watched intently, his eyes flicking between the two groups. The mice outnumbered the chickens nearly three to one, their small bodies swarming the larger beasts. But the chickens had the advantage in size and strength, not to mention the intimidating presence of the five-star Chicken Phoenix that crushed mice underfoot with ease, its sharp claws slicing through their tiny forms.

The mice, despite their numbers, struggled to inflict significant damage.Their sharp teeth and claws couldn't reach the chickens' vital spots, their small arms too short to breach the long-legged birds' defenses.

Ray could see the carnage clearly from his vantage point mice bodies piling up, blood splattering the cave floor.Yet, for every mouse that fell, another took its place, biting and clawing relentlessly. Slowly, the chickens were losing numbers too, their defense weakening under the relentless assault.

"It's a stalemate," Ray muttered, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the battlefield."Ten minutes… maybe more, and one side will win."

But a chilling thought crept into his mind. What if the surviving side comes after me? I'll be done for… He clenched his fist around the stick in his hand, its rough texture grounding him.This won't do much damage.

Ray's eyes darted around the top of the boulder, noting the scattered small and large rocks lying about. A grin tugged at his lips. "Let me help speed things along."

He grabbed a handful of rocks and began hurling them down with precision, aiming at both the mice and the chickens.A rock struck a mouse squarely on the head, making it squeal and stumble. Another rock clipped a chicken's wing, sending it into a flurry of frantic flapping.

"That's more like it,"Ray chuckled, finding a twisted sense of amusement in the chaos below. Every now and then, a Chicken Phoenix would attempt to fly up to him, but as Ray had predicted, their flight was limited, only managing short bursts before crashing back down.

Suddenly, a sharp squeal cut through the din, and Ray's ears perked up. He turned quickly, his eyes widening as he saw a lone white mouse, bloodied and battered, climbing onto the boulder. Its sharp teeth gleamed under the cave's dim light, and its ruby-red eyes locked onto him with a predatory glare.

"Fkkkk,"Ray cursed under his breath, stepping back slightly. It managed to climb this high…

He tightened his grip on the stick, his mind racing."I can kill it…yeah, this might work." He prepared to swing, his muscles coiled and ready.

But before he could act, another mouse, just as bloodied, appeared beside the first. "Fkk," Ray muttered again, his confidence wavering slightly. Now there are two…

Despite the danger, Ray didn't feel fear. He had seen monsters far more terrifying than these.Instead, a surge of excitement coursed through him. This is… exhilarating.

The two mice, their tiny bodies scarred and dripping blood, crouched low, ready to pounce. One, its left eye damaged and barely visible, tensed its back legs, preparing to launch itself at Ray.

Ray narrowed his eyes, reading the movement. Fast…sharp…but predictable.

Without waiting, he sidestepped and swung the stick like a baseball bat, aiming for the charging mouse.

CRACK!

The stick connected, but to Ray's shock, it didn't send the mouse flying. Instead, half of the stick splintered off, the mouse biting down on the wood mid-air and snapping it cleanly.

"Shit,"Ray hissed, glancing at the remains of his weapon."It bit my stick off…"

The mouse landed gracefully, its eyes burning with fury, a small piece of the stick still clamped between its teeth.

"Impressive," Ray muttered, his lips curling into a grin"But I'm still stronger."

He adjusted his stance, holding the shortened stick like a needle, his eyes glinting with determination."I might not have cultivation, but don't forget I was a fking Heavenly Monarch by the age

Ray's voice dropped into a growl, arrogance and excitement lacing his words. "If I die to small fries like you...the great sages will probably die again, just from laughing."

The mice, undeterred, crouched again, their bodies low and ready to spring. But Ray stood firm, the adrenaline surging through him, fueling his every move.Come on... let's dance.

Suddenly, the two mice turned to each other, their red eyes glinting with an unspoken understanding. One darted to Ray's left, the other to his right, flanking him.

Ray's gaze followed their movements, a smirk forming.Even without much intelligence, they've got teamwork down. Mice thrive in numbers, communicating through ultrasonic signals to coordinate. It makes sense they'd stick together.

Without warning, both mice launched themselves at Ray simultaneously one aiming for his neck, the other for his leg. Their razor-sharp teeth gleamed in the dim cave light, promising swift, brutal damage.

If I try to block them with my arms or legs, I'll end up like that stick shredded, Ray thought, his mind racing.

Acting on instinct, Ray hurled the broken stick he was holding like a spear.His target was the mouse aiming for his neck. The stick whizzed through the air with the speed of a bullet. The mouse, mid-flight, had no time to dodge.

Thunk!

The stick struck the mouse squarely in the head, sending it crashing to the ground. Ray didn't hesitate to capitalize on his success."I told you," he growled, a grin spreading across his face. "I'm the fking ultimate boss here."

He straightened, his breath steadying as he glanced at the fallen mouse. "Sure, my strength's gone, my cultivation's off, my senses dulled… but my skills? The knowledge I trained for years? Those are still with me." His voice carried a mix of arrogance and exhilaration."If I hadn't needed time to get used to this body, you'd all be dead by now."

But there was no time to dwell on his victory. The second mouse had already closed the distance, its body a blur of motion.Ray sidestepped at the last moment, narrowly avoiding its snapping jaws. As it landed on the boulder, Ray swung his arm, launching the stone in his hand with all the force he could muster.

"Here we go!" he roared, his voice echoing through the cave.

The stone struck the second mouse at the back of its head the soft, unprotected spot where neither fat nor muscle offered any defense. The mouse crumpled instantly, lifeless.

Ray stood over the two fallen mice, his chest heaving. "That's it, motherfers," he spat, his voice a mix of relief and exhilaration. He chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm cursing too much, aren't I? Maybe it's because I'm not suppressing my emotions anymore."He let out a deep breath, a grin still playing at his lips. "Damn, it feels great to let loose."

Standing tall on the boulder, Ray surveyed the battle below. "Fk you all!" he shouted, his voice a defiant roar. "Today, you'll all become mine!" His voice echoed through the cavern, but the beasts below were too consumed by their own skirmish to pay him any mind.

Ray laughed, the thrill of survival coursing through him."Let's try out this system now," he muttered, turning his attention to the two fallen mice.But how does this Monster Fusion work?

As if responding to his thoughts, the translucent system screen flickered into existence before his eyes.

[Touch the monster physically, mentally, or spiritually. With one command, you shall begin the fusion.]

"Well, I can't use mental or spiritual yet," Ray murmured. "Physical it is, then."

He crouched down, wrinkling his nose as he brought the two mice together, their lifeless bodies limp in his hands. Damn, this is messy. But it's gotta be done.

"Take them into system space," he commanded, pressing his palms against their fur.

Another notification popped up:

[Take them into system space? Yes or No]

"Yes, yes," Ray said impatiently, tapping the air. "Just get on with it."

The mice vanished from his hands in an instant, leaving behind only the faintest trace of blood.Ray wiped his palms on his pants, grimacing. "That's… convenient."

The screen in front of him shifted, transforming into a new interface. It resembled a card game, with two rows of slots.

Two Ways of Combination.

1. Systematic Fusion

Increases the monster's cultivation level and may grant new skills while keeping its original appearance.

2. Random Fusion

Combines physical and mental traits randomly, resulting in unpredictable mutations along with a cultivation boost.

Ray studied the options, his fingers hovering over the rows. The top row showed two cards, each displaying a picture of the mice he had just defeated. Their levels were listed as One Star, with their abilities outlined:

Ultrasonic Communication, Sharp Sight, Sharp Teeth, Sharp Claws, Incredible Digging, Memory, Comradeship.

Seems simple enough, Ray mused, clicking on the first card to inspect it further. Both cards bore the same stats, reinforcing his understanding of the creatures he'd just conquered.

He glanced at the Random Fusion option. It sounds tempting, but what if it gives me a mouse with two heads or four legs?The thought made him grimace. Better to play it safe for now.

"Systematic Fusion it is,"Ray decided, dragging both cards into the first row of the fusion slot. A notification popped up again:

[Choose a command for future use. This command will activate all future fusions.]

Ray rolled his eyes."Let's not overcomplicate this… FUSION."

The cards glowed brightly, their forms dissolving into pure light. The energy coalesced, shifting into the final slot where a new card materialized.

Combining Two Level One Star Mice…

Congratulations! You have obtained a Two Star Mouse!

A secondary notification chimed:

Congratulations on your first fusion! You are rewarded with a One Star Reward Chest.

[Do you want to open it, Host?]

Ray blinked, his interest piqued. "Huh...? What's this now?"

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