Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System
Chapter 103: The Knighting, Part One

Finn found himself approached by a tiny knight wielding a halberd as it leapt up to match his height. He leaned back just as the silver halberd passed right over his nose, feeling the wind coming off of it.

Despite the lesser size of the gnome soldiers, the strength behind the swing of the halberd was undeniably powerful.

Finn responded by flipping back while delivering a kick aimed for the gnome's midsection, only for the creature to present its own nimbleness in return. It kicked back as well, using the air itself as a platform before landing on its feet.

'It's quick–it can use wind like the big guy, too–if this is a lesser occurrence in this place, it's going to be hell,' Finn considered while keeping his blades raised and ready.

The gnome knight before him slammed his boot down with a shriek of wind swirling around itself, demanding a presence tenfold its size.

–

Magnus was pressed with his back to one of the courtyard-neighboring trees, quickly releasing cannonballs from his weapon, though each were sidestepped by the small, nimble knight. Before the swede could load up more firepower, the spear-wielding gnome leapt up, rapidly thrusting its weapon at him.

Though the cannoneer raised his hulking weapon as a shield, the tiny spear reached further than it seemed with an extension of piercing wind. It struck him multiple times, leaving a small hole in his shoulders and nicking a piece of his ear.

"Tch!" Magnus clicked his tongue in frustration.

While the cannoneer was pinned against the tree with the spear striking against his weapon and flesh alike, the call of a bird filled his ears as a saving grace. A flash of those colorful feathers passed by as the gnome was grabbed in the talons of the massive avian.

The summoned bird carried the pint-sized knight with its feet as it wildly swung its spear at the creature in an attempt to free itself.

"Take it over the edge, baby!" The voice of Nova shouted.

With a flap of its wings and a call as it bled, the avian brought the small knight over to the ledge of the floating island before tossing it off.

Magnus breathed out while watching the gnome be promptly dealt with, "Haah…"

The summoning bard gave him a wink from across the stretch of foliage, "That's a debt repaid!"

"...I have to agree," Magnus accepted with a quiet sigh.

–

Through the plaza, stone tiles were uplifted and torn to shreds by strands of magnificent lightning. Jasper found himself on the backfoot as the Storm Knight pressed forward with relentless swings of his axe.

Even as he moved his shield to block, the strands of wind and lightning that came off with each swing of the axe moved wildly in various directions.

–SQUELCH.

One such slash of wind ended up carving across his shoulder, while another produced a gash on his thigh.

Each time Alexander swung his weapon around, sparks dug into his body, granting a swift follow up. The barrage of strikes left Jasper to push forward with his shield raised—

["Heavenly Rejection"]

Like a gong being hit, a chime resonated from the shield as it expelled a shock wave. The blast of light knocked the Storm Knight back, though it was only a moment of reprieve as Jasper watched the man's fingers twitch before a hiss of lightning returned.

He tried to raise his shield, even ducking to the side, though it was a moment too late as the figure swept over with the quickness of a strike of lightning from the clouds. It was only thanks to his helmet that his skull wasn't cleaved into, though the steel was split.

"Haaah…" Jasper breathed out.

Having protected him for so long, the silver helmet broke away, revealing what lay beneath; a gash left on his forehead brought blood to drip down his face. Dark brown hair fell to his shoulders, presenting a youthful face with bits of his disheveled hair falling over his rounded nose.

"Jasper!--" Finn called out, attempting to come to his friend's aid, though was cut off by the halberd-wielding gnome that slashed at the ground in front of him.

The knight stood himself up while breathing out, keeping his shield raised as repeated strikes rang against it. Blood continued to drip down his face, leaking over his discolored, light-blue eye that existed in contrast to his right side that held a verdant iris.

–

[Before the First Impact]

"I went everywhere with my younger sister—Gale. Ever since we were ankle biters. Y'see, my dad was a jackass that left before she was born. I don't even remember him from when I was young—he was never around. Mum did her best, but she passed away from an illness while we were young. Left us to my Uncle, but he never gave us the time of day—just a roof over our heads."

From primary to secondary school, he was practically a guardian angel tied to the hip of his sister.

A hot summer in Brisbane, where the sunlight glistened on the water that neighbored the coastal city. Even in such heat, the young man didn't mind it, wearing a pale-pink t-shirt with a monkey mascot on the front.

In his hand, he carried a bag of pastries, walking down the sidewalk as he eyed the surrounding stores before looking at his phone.

"Where did she run off to? An apparel shop?" He mumbled, seeing the text from his sister.

He found the store on the corner of the street–"Tula's"--having to wait for the stoplight before crossing the busy street. Before stepping through the front doors, he got some odd looks, feeling the strangers' gazes on his odd-colored eyes, though he didn't care.

Right as he walked in, he was presented with a blue hoodie shoved right into his face.

"Bam! Like it?"

Asking him with bubbly excitement was a girl a head shorter than himself, with short, hazel hair who looked at him from behind the held-up hoodie. She blinked with her bright, emerald irises, waiting for an answer.

He was confused, "Err…?"

"I got it for you! Try it on! C'mon!" Gale insisted, practically shoving it into his arms.

Right in the middle of the store, he didn't exactly feel like putting on a fashion show, though the stubbornness of his younger sibling wouldn't simply let him say no.

"Y'know, you're a needle in my neck sometimes," Jasper gave in with a sigh as he ruffled his lengthy tufts.

"Just put it on already! I want to see how it looks on you," Gale further insisted with a playful laugh, holding the hoodie up.