Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System
Chapter 158: Apex of Barbarics

["Assembly of The Eviscerating Moon"]

Amidst her sprint, a dozen ethereal copies of herself emerged, running alongside her and approaching the beast from all sides. Each of the spellblade's fleeting forms wielded a different infusion on their blades–fire, lightning, water, wind, poison, and even light.

Every single version of the spellblade looked identical; Charlotte dashed to the side, quickly shifting spots as each copy did the same, hiding her true self amongst the parade.

Godfrey wildly swept his giant claws, sweeping through the approaching fakes, "Deception? That will not work, little swordswoman!"

Approaching the rampaging beast, she nearly found herself meeting those claws as they crashed down upon her copy right ahead of herself. With a quick pivot, she blended into the crowd of herself once again just as a pair of her doppelgangers managed to break through–

One wielding a blade of electricity, the other of wind, both striking with one targeting Godfrey's kneecaps and the other jumping to strike him in the head.

As both elements collided with the golden-armored beast-man, Godfrey only grumbled before grabbing the false Charlotte that wielded electricity, biting right through her. At the same time, the lion raised his foot before stomping out the other, bringing the floor to rumble.

The shock wave from the downfall of the lion's foot caused the moonstone tiles to rise and fluctuate.

"Strike me with flame or wind, it does not matter! I am impervious—that is unchanging!" Godfrey roared.

Amidst the proud proclamation of the ruler of beasts, the last of the spellblade's duplicates emerged from behind the lion, thrusting her blade that swirled with an aquatic riptide. Godfrey spun around just in time for the slash of water to hit him square in the face, coating his immaculate fur.

"Rrrruah–!?" A shocked grumble left the beastly knight's mouth.

As the water-bearing copy faded, the leonid warrior didn't even attempt to retaliate, instead stumbling around and viciously shaking his head as his mane shook. It was a confusing sight to Charlotte, watching the previously gallant, confident figure gasping and panting, even bumping into a nearby pillar.

'He's…freaking out? From a bit of water? It didn't hurt him, I think–but he's totally losing it, as though it's acid,' Charlotte watched.

Witnessing the complete breakdown from the gallant lion, flailing around as he leapt from wall-to-wall, pillar-to-pillar while shaking, brought an idea to the spellblade.

'Is he maybe…weak to water? Cats don't like it, right? It's a bit of a stretch, but it has him freaking out,' Charlotte considered, looking at her blade before tracing her fingers along it.

Godfrey thrashed around, knocking into a marble pillar while rapidly shaking his mane, "Get it off! Get it off–!"

"Awaken, Strengthen, Flow," Charlotte quickly invoked her blade.

["Infusion of Rampaging Tides"] [Mana: -1000] [4500/5500]

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With a dash, she crossed the chamber with her water-swirled sword, going after the flailing lion as he didn't even seem to notice her approach. As she arrived within striking distance, she found the lion hiding his face in his hands while tossing and turning, stomping his feet while patting his own mane.

"Get off–! Get off–!" Godfrey repeated.

Charlotte didn't hesitate to swing her blade, extending a veil of aqua that followed her movements. The lion tore his hands away from his face just as the water came; the bestial eyes dilated, expanding with a mixture of horror and rage.

In that moment, she could see a change occur in the leonid knight; all sense of pride and finesse was abandoned as the cornered beast lunged like a wild predator. The water splashed right against Godfrey's fur, dousing him, though Charlotte was immediately forced to slide to the right as the beast rushed in a straight line.

"Rrrrroooagh!" A roar left Godfrey's mouth as he stomped by, swinging his arms at nothing but air.

Right as the lion knight passed by, Charlotte quickly slashed her blade at his right arm, bringing the edge across the fur-clad bicep. It was hard to tell in that split-second, though she felt it; the sword managed to bypass the skin, leaving an actual cut.

'--I did it! It worked…it's small, but I left damage on his body!' Charlotte discovered.

Just as the minuscule cut was left, she flipped back just as the lion spun himself around, wildly swiping his claws at her in retaliation. The sharp talons of the beast didn't meet her skin, though they tore at her uniform before she landed on her feet.

"You…! How dare you soak my fur! Uuuuergh!" Godfrey roared in utter frustration as veins bulged on the lion's face.

"Really are just a cat, aren't you?" Charlotte remarked.

The slight provocation reeled in the rampaging lion knight as she found him dashing right for her with blinding speed. She quickly moved to the side, watching as Godfrey rammed headfirst into a sturdy pillar–CRACK.

As durable as it might be, the unfortunate pillar suffered cracks upon collision with the beastly man, bringing Godfrey to pull away with a primal growl.

While she watched the dazed and enraged lion stumble, the sight of somebody else moving in the room brought her to look over.

"Jasper–!" She called out.

The knight hardly looked capable of walking, let alone fighting as the massive gashes on his chest bled and his snapped wrists made him drag his sword across the ground.

"Stay back! You can't–!" Charlotte warned.

Jasper weakly spoke, "I'm…perfectly fine. No need to worry, mate."

Though she tried to convince the injured knight to stand aside, the attention of the enraged lion found them as a roar filled the chamber. There was no reason left in the bestial eyes of Godfrey; only an animalistic rage.

She watched the golden-armored beast dash right for the wounded man, honing his claws and presenting his teeth.

'No…! I won't make it in time!' Charlotte thought, attempting to intercept.

Against the knight who limped with every step and bled so plentifully it seemed he wore red, the assault from the lion looked to be nothing more than certain death. Godfrey arrived within a single millisecond, bringing his claws down upon the much smaller figure–

["Perfect Counter"]

As the massive claws drew within inches of the man, Jasper's blade rose at the exact moment, the final opportunity to respond. With the contact of his steel against those talons, a complete rejection manifested as Godfrey's arms were bounced back.

In a flash, the knight's blade moved with momentum fueled by the lion's deflected attack, bringing the sword to cut right through the left side of Godfrey's face. It went right across the beast's eye, splitting it as blood spurted out.

"Grrrruuagh–!" Godfrey let out in pain, reeling as he clutched his face.

Jasper nearly lost his balance after the miraculous counter, turning his attention over to the spellblade, "Charlotte…!"

Nothing else needed to be said as she was already dashing in, sprinting across the dislodged tiles. With a quick swipe of her hand over her blade, she empowered it before sliding to a halt just a few meters shy of the wounded beast—

["Wave of Dawn"]

As she brought her blade up in an upward slash, a wall of sharp, white light was produced. It reached as high as the ceiling, cutting straight through the chandelier before colliding with the soaked beast.

"Grrruaaa!—" Godfrey's voice rang out as the eviscerating light slashed right into his body.

Straight through the middle of the beast's body, the cut split through the nose down to the chest of the towering warrior.

A spray of blood expelled from the perfect wound that stretched down the lion's body.

Godfrey growled with a unison of pain and frustration, "Nnnrgh…!"

It was a surprising amount of damage done, more than Charlotte had expected as she looked at the maimed beast. Slaying monsters was something she didn't think twice of, though Godfrey was unmistakably "human"—with a life and morals of his own.

Seeing the proud figure with a split face, spilling scarlet liquid, was an unsettling sight for the spellblade.

Jasper brought himself by her, breathing out as he used his sword to lean against, "We're almost there…! Just a bit more—can you keep going?!"

"Yeah, I can—" Charlotte nodded, glancing over at the knight who looked half dead. "But you—Jasper, you…"

"I'm fine…Just a snapped bone or two, is all," the Aussie huffed, struggling to lift his own sword.

"Seriously?—" Charlotte asked.

"Kind of," Jasper answered with a small laugh before coughing out.

A bloodied roar called their attention as the bestial warrior imposed his rage.

"A true battle! At the very end—a thrilling clash of strength! A gnash of teeth!" Godfrey boomed as his body flexed.

Despite the vicious wounds left on the beast's body, spilling into the once pristine floor of the palace, the warrior descended into further thrill.

It was a gruesome sight; an embodiment of barbarity—

The leonid warrior dragged his hands through the bloody mess on his chest, painting himself in scarlet. Claws dug into the golden armor that plated his body before Godfrey tugged, tearing it apart with ease.

Like discarded scrap, the breastplate was tossed off his torso before he tore away his gauntlets as well, kicking off his boots as he was left bare in his bloodsoaked fur, standing tall.

"I had forgotten what it was like to be harmed–to experience the true thrill of battle–no, a hunt," Godfrey admitted, exhaling a hot breath. "I fight now not as a knight, but an apex predator!"

A roar left the leonid warrior's mouth as a proclamation of his resolve, dyed in his own blood, donning a presence that shook the two challengers.