Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System
Chapter 159: True Grit

Without warning, the bloodied beast arrived before them with a blitzing stride. On all fours, the lion had sprinted before lunging with its claws.

"Nrgh!—"

CLANG

Jasper intercepted the beast, blocking the massive same with his own blade.

["Immovable"]

A split-second enhancement, bringing the knight's body and the blade he held to become fixed in place for a single moment. Naturally, it brought the beast to bounce back from the recoil of his own charge.

"Grrh?!—" Godfrey growled.

Using the opening, Charlotte dashed in with a blade enveloped in dazzling light. A spinning slash cast the sparkles towards the lion, each of the particles eviscerating the air.

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It was only for a moment that the dazzles made contact with the beast's fur, cutting right into it before Godfrey flipped himself into the air.

For such a large-statured creature, the lion moved with the agility of a small cat.

"Watch out!" Jasper called out.

Charlotte found the massive beast leaping right back down from the ceiling above, crashing towards her.

Before she could move, the only choice she had was to raise her weapon just as the warrior slammed down atop of her.

"Nrgh!—" She struggled.

She used her blade to hold back the massive claws of Godfrey, replaceing herself pinned down against the ground. Just a few inches above here, the blood-soaked beast growled as a mixture of saliva and scarlet fluid dripped down onto her cheek.

There was no care from Godfrey as his palms pressed against the edge of the blade, letting it dig into his own flesh.

'I can't…get him off!' Charlotte struggled, feeling her arms becoming numb against the weight and strength of the beast.

As the lion's mouth drew close to her own face, releasing that putrid breath against her nose, footsteps rapidly came from the left—

"Raaaah!"

The yell came from Jasper, who sprinted over before delivering a dropkick with all of his might. Both feet were used to strike against the large warrior's side, knocking him off the spellblade.

Charlotte gasped as she picked herself up, replaceing that the one who saved her fell right on his side as a result of the all-out kick.

"Thanks…!" Charlotte quickly said.

Jasper picked himself up with a kick of his legs, "Don't mention it—let's just try not to get maimed."

As soon as the knight had brought himself to his feet, the lion warrior was already up and unleashing a bloody roar. Each calf of the beast swelled, flexing with monstrous strength as the ground trembled.

"Something's coming!" Charlotte called out.

Jasper got in front, readying his blade as his hands trembled, struggling to keep his sword held with his shattered wrists, "I'll counter…! Be ready to follow up!"

"You can't! It was lucky before—!" Charlotte protested.

"Ain't a damn thing lucky about it, mate! Trust me!" Jasper urged.

There was no other choice for her but to believe in the words of her wounded friend.

The tiles of the moonstone shattered as Godfrey launched directly towards them like a speedy, oversized bullet.

It was less than a second before the distance was crossed, bringing the fangs of the lion right before the knight's helm—

["Perfect Counter"]

—An instantaneous riposte came from the lightning-quick timing, bringing Jasper's sword to quickly slash across Godfrey's face.

Even though the counter came, it didn't stop the beast's rush as Jasper immediately found a chunk of his shoulder torn out by the lion's jaws.

"Geeeugh!—" Jasper let out in pain.

While Charlotte wanted to shout to her friend, she focused herself, instead intercepting the blood-soaked leonid. In that moment, she chose something that would help do damage, but also push him back—

["Blazing Cavalry Stampede"]

Pointing her blade forward, a rush of ethereal, flaming horses wearing knightly armor manifested. Amidst Godfrey's rampage, the magical steeds led a stampede against the lion.

"Haaaah! Yes! This takes me back to the savage lands!" Godfrey roared with laughter as he swept his claws through the blazing horses.

It hardly did much to push the lion back as he carved through the stampede with joyous laughter.

Through the blockade of rushing horses, Jasper sprinted through, using the ethereal steed as cover as he closed the distance.

["Holy Lance"]

A light enveloped his sword into a shape like that of a lance as he intercepted the lion, thrusting his weapon right towards the beast's chest.

The tip of the radiance penetrated the fur-clad chest before it suddenly stopped—

"Huh?!" Jasper let out.

"Grrrrh!" Godfrey growled with rage before turning to ominous laughter.

The light was caught in the grasp of the lion, burning against the beast's palm.

While the lance scathed the hand of the leonid, it only brought frightening laughter from Godfrey before a claw was swept towards the knight.

CLANG

Before the claw could eviscerate Jasper, Charlotte used her blade to intercept.

"Nngh!—"

["Fleeting Brawn"]

It took a momentary enhancement to her strength to push back against the savage swipe, forcing the beast back as her blade cut across Godfrey's palm.

Quickly, Jasper rushed in beside her to follow through, but the leonid was quick to rush right back into a rampage. Before either could defend themselves, the blood-soaked beast dashed past them with a wild swipe of his claws, leaving lacerations on their bodies.

"Agh!—" Charlotte yelled.

"Shit!" Jasper shouted.

It was the equivalent of being struck by multiple swords at the same time, leaving blood leaking from the knight and spellblade.

Charlotte stumbled briefly, replaceing a laceration across her abdomen and thighs, though still in one piece. A bit of relief was found for her in Jasper not being split apart as well, though losing quite a bit of blood.

The once pristine palace was now becoming painted in the visceral shade of red, much to the joy of the barbaric warrior.

Godfrey boomed with joyous laughter as his claws dripped, "This is it! The true essence of battle! When our flesh is at it limits, our spirits are at their peaks!"

While the lion seemed more energetic than ever, Charlotte could feel her strength fading with the loss of blood.

'…Is it possible? It feels like no matter what we do…he never weakens. In fact…with every wound we leave, he seems to get even stronger,' Charlotte questioned.

Jasper was out of mana; she was aware of that fact alone from the temporary state he entered before. That left much of the knight's strength off the table.

Even worse, she felt her own condition worsening by the moment, while the lion reveled in the bloody battle.

"Charlotte…Don't let that ugly cat get to your head. We're in this—we can pull this off," Jasper said, huffing out as blood leaked from under his helmet.

"If we have a chance of winning, we have to do it now…You've noticed, right? We're losing strength, while he's only getting more energetic," Charlotte noted, looking across the chamber at the gallant beast.

Jasper moved while talking, dragging his sword with his shattered wrists, "—Just gotta fake it till you make it! As long as I believe I've got energy, I'm good to go!"

"That's…not how it works!" Charlotte said, sprinting alongside her friend.

"Sure it does! Just gotta believe!—Woagh!" Jasper said.

"Nrrfh!" Charlotte gasped.

Meeting them halfway was the frightening warrior, whose claws clashed against their blades like a passing train. It was felt clearly behind those hands; the vigor of the beast was unending.

["Flash Slash"]

—Charlotte moved herself in a near instant, ducking beneath the claw as she instead swept her blade for the lion's side. Using a light infusion, the sword cut into Godfrey's hip, though the beast immediately flipped himself around with a quick response.

"Nah!—"

A gasp left Charlotte's lips as the leonid's foot slammed against the side of her body, kicking her away.

At the same time, Jasper lunged forward, slashing right for the beast's face—CLANG.

"Grrrrrh…!" Godfrey growled.

Between the lion's teeth, the blade was caught, with the wild one's jaws clashing against the strength of the knight.

"Arrrgh!—" Jasper strained.

["Budding Strength"]

Forcing a swelling power through his body, the wounded knight forced his shattered wrists to hold strong. Despite his best efforts, Jasper found himself overwhelmed as the beast pushed through his defense, biting down on the side of his neck.

"Grrrgh…!"

With the size of the lion's jaws, the entire throat of the knight was compromised as blood squirted out. He could feel those fangs piercing into his jugular, so easily capable of tearing out his throat.

In that split-second, he decided to prevent that—

"Grrrrrgh!"

Jasper mustered his strength past the shock that filled him, raising his blade up. It pierced through the bottom of the beast's jaw, stabbing through the roof to its mouth.

The way the steel jabbed through Godfrey's jaws prevented the beast from parting his teeth.

"Grrrrh!"

"Nnfh…!"

The only thing preventing his throat from being torn out was the fleeting strength he had around the handle of his sword. Even with barely functioning wrists and a bleeding, eviscerated body, the adrenaline running through Jasper's body fought with everything it had against those jaws.

Amidst the knight's struggle, the resistance was cut short as his arms were suddenly found in the grip of the lion.

Just as his body was compromised, allowing the beast to begin to move his jaws even with the sword stuck in his mouth—

SQUELCH

As his consciousness flickered with the abundant loss of blood, Jasper found himself staring at a blazing piece of steel that was poking through the leonid's forehead.

["Godfrey, Prime Beast defeated."] ["Anarch Coin x10000 obtained."]

[Experience Points: +125,000]

As the blade was withdrawn from the lion's head, the great beast warrior silently slumped over as Jasper was dropped back to his feet.

The knight looked at the one who had delivered the lethal blow, replaceing that Charlotte shared the same shock as him.

For a minute, as their wounds recovered from reaching a higher level, they simply looked at the fallen corpse of the lion. Jasper and Charlotte didn't dare to drop their swords, fearing that even with a skewered brain, the beast may rise again.

"He's dead…Good one, Charlotte," Jasper tiredly complimented before falling onto his back.

Charlotte couldn't help but drop down onto the ground as well, breathing out and finally catching her breath.

"I…Are you sure?" She questioned, looking at the unmoving corpse.

"You're the one who stuck your sword through his brain," Jasper said, picking himself up. "But…Guess it won't hurt to make sure."

With caution, the knight approached the massive body, holding his blade up as he looked down at the beast. Even still, there was some hesitance as Jasper breathed heavily before—

Squelch.

The blade was brought down, stabbing through the unmoving head of the leonid. It was almost surprising to them both that the beast was truly dead, only then getting to breathe in relief.