Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System
Chapter 144: Genesis Nigh

"Nnrgh!—" Jasper struggled.

"Keep it up!" Charlotte urged desperately.

The entire floor quaked beneath the clash of the immeasurable magical force and the knight's blockade, letting the stone tiles rumble beneath their anxious feet.

Nova clung to the stalwart defender's shoulder, "C'mon! Don't let it break through!"

"If you want to hold this shield, then be my guest…!" Jasper shouted in return.

All that could be seen was that celestial torrent, tearing against the impromptu fortress as the first layer shattered, immediately bringing a stronger quake to grip the chamber.

"It's starting to break!" Finn yelled as the resulting winds of the cosmic force tore his hood down, brushing his unkempt hair. "Jasper, can you keep it up–!?"

"I'm doing my best, mate! Just need to…focus!" Jasper responded, struggling as he kept his feet planted against the rumbling tiles.

As the knight faltered, Nova issued words into her microphone, transmitting her voice into a blessing placed right onto the stalwart protector, "--Never fall! Never surrender!"

["Kiss of The Boundless Star"]

Nearly falling to a knee, Jasper picked himself up with a newfound burst of vigor, keeping the barrier raised, "Cheers!"

It sounded like the air itself was crashing down; a storm ripping through the chamber as countless explosions ignited in unison. All of it came from that cosmic complexion with miniature stars bursting repeatedly, bringing yet another layer of the ethereal fortress to crumble.

"Shit…!" Jasper strained.

With only two layers left between themselves and the overwhelming energy, its heat could be felt as though standing right in front of a piping oven. Even if the knight could remain on his feet, the sturdiness of the barrier itself was simply outmatched against the sheer power of the king's magic.

"I can't–!" Jasper struggled as his arms wobbled behind the shield.

"Just hold it!" Charlotte urged desperately as the heat of the cosmic radiance was felt closer than ever.

Jasper reiterated sharply, "I can't…!"

Faced with certain collapse of the single barrier preventing a confrontation with the calamitous wave, the assassin gripped his daggers, feeling the sweat build up in his gloves as he readied himself. As the second-to-last barrier shattered, leaving only one, brittle layer left, he stepped forward with the intent of going out into the No Man's Land to stop the king himself–

–It all came to a sudden stop.

The last barrier depleted just as the celestial eruption fizzled out, with the ethereal limbs fading away like dust pushed away by a breath. At first, it seemed like a passing miracle, though it became clear as he looked at the magic weaver near the throne: the husk of Zigmund was seizing up as if his own body was fighting against him.

The knelt statues that once towered high were left in pieces in the aftermath of the previous magic.

It was apparent just what the situation was, leaving him not to hesitate.

"Go!" Finn shouted, sprinting ahead without wasting a moment.

Charlotte was right there with him, taking advantage of the opening given by the consciousness of the King of Giants. He tossed his dagger forward, using it to travel even just a second faster–

["Blade Warp"] [Mana: -100] [1800/3000]

Catching his blade, he immediately relinquished one dagger, summoning another weapon into his left hand:

["Winged Spear"]

The weapon that commanded the most reach in his arsenal manifested into his grip as he placed himself at the top step just before the throne.

'Pierce the heart–I have to destroy it,' he reminded himself.

He wasted no effort quickly bringing the spear back before thrusting it towards the compromised shell of a king.

["Orcish Boost"] [4:59]

With killing intent, he aimed it for the heart, though it was stopped just as the tip of the dragoon's weapon pierced into the tough skin of the giant.

The Old King had caught the spear in his hand, squeezing it intensely as those hollow, silver eyes locked onto the assassin. Even though he found himself on the other end of the gaze, there was no soul behind them, simply peering right through him.

"Ngh!--"

He attempted to pull the spear away, though it was no use; the grip of the Old King was as though he found it lodged into the side of a mountain. In the corner of his eye, he saw the staff held in the giant's hand begin to emit light once again.

The hold on the spear was relinquished by himself as he abandoned the thought of retrieving it, instead taking a step back, glancing over his shoulder at the sound of rapid footsteps. It was Charlotte, coming in with her sword, infused with a heaping blessing of lightning.

In that split-second, he foresaw an error in the spellblade's route; she was running headfirst into whatever magic was being woven by the giant, not yet noticing it.

He stepped in front of her, pushing his right hand against her chest to get her behind himself while presenting his left towards the Old King.

["Shell Barrier"] [2:59]

The circular shield bloomed just as the hollow king raised his stave, swiping it like a blade. A blade of curved magic was released with blinding speed, colliding directly with the barrier. It held for a moment, but no longer as the eviscerating mana cut right through.

It sliced into his torso, leaving a gash from his shoulder to his abdomen, though the depth of the wound was non-lethal, only thanks to the barrier mitigating its momentum. He stumbled down the steps as blood leaked from his torn coat, catching himself with the support of the spellblade.

"Finn…!" Charlotte called out as the sudden wound.

"I'm fine–!" He quickly said, straightening himself out as he clenched the muscles around his wound. "Focus on the enemy!"

["Unbleeding"] [9:59]

"Right–" Charlotte nodded, placing her worries aside.

Without a moment to breathe, he immediately found the sable-skinned king spinning his staff as it whirled with a cerulean grace. The Old King maneuvered the catalyst as though performing a dance, unleashing successive slashes of magic.

What was once a single projectile became a dozen, cutting through the tiles like the claws of an unseen beast.

They tore through the floor and ceiling alike, spanning the length of the room without any remorse for its structural integrity. Finn ducked between two of the azure blades, moving his head to the side as the edge of one grazed his eyebrow.

A stream of blood immediately dripped over his eye. For the spellblade, she nimbly moved herself, though the sudden quantity of the magical blades overwhelmed even her agility.

Against the young woman's side, one of the passing blades of light cut into her.

"Nnnh!--" Charlotte winced.

It was a storm of the cutting magic, not ending as the hollow king continued his dance, bringing Finn to set his sights on his neck–

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["Blink Slash" ] [2:59]

He closed the distance, cutting towards the giant's neck, though only bringing his blade through a haze of blue particles. It brought him to spin around just as he witnessed the Old King warping several meters away.

'He teleported–?' Finn realized.

Like a fleeting pest in the night, he watched among his comrades as the regal mage appeared and vanished multiple times in succession all around the desolate chamber. Amidst the constant warps, the imposing mage flicked his staff, bestowing magic with each movement.

Countless strands of mystical light spread out, expanding to take the form of giant kin, devoid of flesh and made of magical energy–ethereal warriors.

'Summoning backup–? Is the old bastard feeling pressured?' He questioned.

There were dozens of them, quickly filling the room and surrounding each of the combatants as Finn found himself separated from Charlotte in an instant. All around him, he was enclosed by the translucent warriors that each stood twice his height, wielding blades and clubs.

In the face of such a quantity of magic-born fighters, he knocked his wrist guards together while pushing a quick breath out of his lungs.

["Reaper Time activated."] [4:59]

Right into his veins, it felt like a needle of adrenaline flooded into his bloodstream. The blood that ran over his right eye didn't hinder his sight; in fact, it felt as though his view expanded twofold.

All five senses were elevated amidst [Reaper Time], all unnecessary thoughts were suppressed, and the qualities of a killer were pushed to the forefront. The closest of the incorporeal giants lunged towards him while swinging a club of chiseled stone downward.

He sprinted right towards the towering figure, closing the distance as he spun around to pivot out of the way just as the hulking weapon shattered the tiles. The dagger was brought right through the mystical warrior's throat, severing the magic itself as the giant dispersed into fickle particles.

"Ruaaaah!"

"Graaaah!"

–A pair of the giant-kin fighters roared, swinging their colossal greatswords towards the much smaller assassin from both sides. One came towards his head, the other sweeping at his ankles. He jumped up, twisting his body to the side as he narrowly slipped through both of the passing blades before landing on his feet.

The moment his boots touched the ground, he sprung himself towards the ethereal giant to his left, plunging his dagger straight into its head. It shattered like a hammer to glass before he spun himself right back around to face the other.