Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System
Chapter 156: Prime Beast

"Insignifiant! Attacks of that caliber will serve only to put me to sleep!" Godfrey egged on.

As the boisterous knight laughed with enough bravado to shake the room, Charlotte slashed her blade from a safe distance, sending with it a bitter wind–

["Frazil: Encapsulating Meadow"]

A field of ice stretched in front of her, quickly grasping the distance to the Exonerated Knight as spikes of frost emerged from the ground. It coated an entire half of the grand chamber, like a forest of frozen trees, even encasing the mighty knight's legs.

"Nice one!--" Jasper shouted, sprinting in.

Charlotte nodded, "It won't last long, so–!"

As they both set in, the spellblade found her hopes dashed by that indomitable smirk worn by the confident knight as he held both of his magnificent swords out.

"A bit of cold won't stop me! Not in a million years, missy–!" Godfrey announced with vigor as he banged both of his blades together.

The immense force that brought the steel together caused a ring so intense that Charlotte had to cover her ears. A chime of power pushed outward, sweeping away the frost like a breath to old dust.

As the ice was cast away into little fragments of cold dust, the hulking knight raised one foot, arching his body like that of a sumo wrestler imposing his weight. In a swift, harrowing motion, both of the colossal blades were swept downward with a heaping amount of golden light extending from them.

Each of the divine slashes reached as high as the ceiling, rapidly curving like snakes beneath the land as they cut across the moonstone.

Charlotte readied her blade to defend herself, centering herself as she breathed in. As she prepared to have to endure the torrent of eviscerating light, the sight of the steel-clad knight arrived in front of her.

"I've got this one!" Jasper shouted.

["Adamance"]

He locked down his footing as though he were a statue melded to the floor, not allowing himself to budge an inch as he brought his shield in front of his body.

["Hallow Riposte"]

Against the wild slashes that drifted like speeding beasts, Jasper's shield emitted a cross of golden light. It required precision right after the force of the eviscerating shine made contact, pushing the knight to quickly swing his shield to initiate the riposte–

"There!" Jasper shouted.

Converting the light of Godfrey's slashes into a condensed form of projectiles, Jasper began to sprint right behind the rebounded power.

["Greaves of The Lightfallen Warrior"]

The boots of the knight became clad in pure, white light, bringing his agility to transcend its previous limits multiple times over as he crossed the room in a split-second. He took to the Exonerated Knight's right, lifting his sword as it became encased in a fantastical array of bright-blue light.

["Sapphire Scism"]

'We have to defeat this guy now…! Can't leave Finn up there alone!--' Jasper resolved.

Just as he prepared to bring his blade down along with the monumental energy, Godfrey's attention found him in that fraction of a moment. As the hulking man turned to clash against his swung sword, the projectiles of repulsed light finally collided–BOOM.

It hardly seemed to do anything more than annoy the Exonerated Knight as Godfrey simply scoffed, exhaling smoke from a short flinch. Still, it was enough for the knight to drag his blade down, casting forth the unbridled power of the refined energy.

The light pulsed from his blade like a beam of plasma, filling the room with steam as it launched against the other side of the sturdy walls.

"—Got him," Jasper exhaled, catching himself.

Charlotte stood beside him with her sword ready, "That was a direct hit—did you?"

"No, that didn't get it done," Jasper answered.

As the hot air faded, the grand silhouette of the imposing figure was seen amidst the steam.

"Impressive!"

—The mighty shout from the golden knight produced a force that dispelled the swirl of dust and steam.

Despite a clean hit, the two struggled to discern any damage left on Godfrey. Though from the large grin held by the legendary knight and the way he caressed his own chin, the only bit of damage was found—

The majestic mustache and pointy beard that once laid on the man's face was completely gone, with his smooth, almost shiny skin on display.

"That's the nicest shave I've had in ages! You've got talent, young man!" Godfrey complimented with his booming voice, touching his now smooth face.

For Jasper, it was an infuriating feeling that swirled in his gut with inadequacies. A gloating laughter poured from the dazzling warrior as he displayed his sparkling, smooth chin as though it were truly some marvel.

"Damn, that stings…" Jasper mumbled.

"Don't let it get to you! We have to win here!" Charlotte reminded him, running her fingers along her blade as it sparked with an electric empowerment.

Jasper lifted his sword and shield with a huff, "I know that! I know–it's just, that damn musclehead is pissing me off!"

Any frustrations were sidelined for the moment as the towering knight confronted them both.

"Annoyed? Angry? Good! Let it spark your growth!" Godfrey shouted with a smile before bringing his twin blades down.

The collapse of the mighty swords collided with the moonstone floor in a thunderous impact. A wave of titanic force erupted, forcing the two challengers away.

Charlotte flipped herself around before springing forward with a sonic boom left in her wake.

["Hundred Step Thunderclap"]

Moving like a jagged bolt of azure lightning, the woman bounced from pillar-to-pillar, striking dozens of times in passing. Even though she struck with all of her strength, she found her blade not leaving so much as a cut on the laughing knight's skin.

Amidst the hundred, quick slashes, Jasper brought himself within striking distance in tandem, allowing his sword to be engulfed in a heavenly flame before swinging it towards the mighty figure.

["Fire of Retribution"]

The dazzling flames swept against the form of the man in golden armor, yet he remained unmoving, unflinching with his invincible smile as the lightning-quick slashes from the spellblade continued.

"Once again, I shall remind you of my name! Godfrey, the Gallant! Godfrey, the First Knight of Sirius! Godfrey, the Impervious!" The proud warrior exclaimed as the attacks shined against his body like harmless rays of light. Read latest stories on m_v-l'e|-NovelFire.net

With his booming voice, roaring out, the man who presented himself more like an amicable beast pushed the invaders to the castle away with a breath.

Jasper slid across the floor, "Shit!--"

"Gah!" Charlotte yelped, catching herself.

Challenging the knight who guarded the Storm King's rise felt akin to running headfirst into a storm. A full-force calamity, one that could not so simply be fought–that is what they faced.

"You think he's telling the truth? I'm starting to believe it–that "Impervious" crap–it might not be bullshitting," Jasper asked in a huff, keeping himself facing towards the enemy that guarded the steps.

Charlotte breathed out, "Considering nothing we've done so far has fazed him…There's probably truth to it. But, there's no way he's completely invincible–that just wouldn't make sense."

"Yeah, I get what you mean. If that was the case, that nutcase would be the king, not the chum up in the sky," Jasper reasoned.

Amidst their discussion in the heat of battle, a loud ringing brought their words to a null. The abrasive sound came from both of the gallant figure's blades being planted into the ground as he spread his arms with a worldly smile.

"This is a battle for the fate of the world! As such, I will present to you my true form–my greatest strength, not as a man, but as what I truly am–a beast!" Godfrey's voice stormed through the lobby.

From the revered warrior's skin, golden strands of fur emerged as his body itself morphed. The physique of the eccentric knight of Sirius bulked and grew in stature, presenting an exuberant man around his face that changed itself from one of human appearance to a beastly form:

"What the…?" Charlotte watched in confusion, holding her arms up at the dramatic roar that pushed through the lavish room like storming winds.

"Well, I definitely didn't expect that…" Jasper remarked.

Standing tall like a knightly man, yet clad in fur with the face of the beast that ruled the wildlands–a lion. A low growl hummed off the glistening walls as the beastly warrior relinquished his blades, instead bearing his vicious claws.

["Godfrey, Prime Beast of The Wilds"] [Level: 68]

"This is my true self–the one who once ruled the savage lands, king of beasts, before serving the Storm King! In the face of the world's end, I've donned my origin!" The lion-man proclaimed himself, roaring out as the chandelier anchored to the ceiling rattled.

Every word spoken from the prideful lion's mouth shook the room, bringing Jasper to shudder with a perturbed exhale.

"Does this guy not have an insane voice? Damn, my head hurts…" Jasper complained.