Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System
Chapter 49: Preparations For The Hunter

As soon as they were both through the front door, he made sure to immediately close it behind them. He grabbed the handle before the young woman even had the chance, almost slamming it shut in a hurry.

Charlotte looked at him with a bit of confusion, "Are you alright?" She asked again.

"Yeah," he simply answered.

Before even having to cross the labyrinth of bookshelves, he found the swede coming to him instead, turning around the corner with a cigarette between his fingers.

"Good. You're back. Had me worried there for a bit," Magnus remarked, though noticed the impatient expressions upon both their faces. "Is something the matter?"

Finn glanced to his left at Charlotte and to Magnus before speaking, "It might not be safe here now."

"What do you mean?" Charlotte asked.

"Are there monsters nearby? Did you attract them here?" Magnus pressed for a response.

A small shake of the assassin's head was given as he clarified, "Somebody is out there–somebody that hunts other survivors. He nearly got me earlier, but he's coming for me. I don't know when, but he is."

The information given brought a weary silence between the three as it shook the sense of safety within the quiet library shelter.

Magnus exhaled while rubbing his forehead in thought for a moment, "Does he know about this place? Did he see you come here? Did you tell him?"

Charlotte butted in, speaking in defense, "Of course he didn't tell him. Why would he do that?"

"I didn't. It's his skills as a hunter, he can track me down from across the world, I'm sure. So, I don't doubt he knows I've been here," Finn explained.

The Swedish man let out a hearty breath while massaging his head as if coaxing a headache to leave, "That's certainly a problem, yeah. It's just one person though, isn't it? Did you see or hear of anybody else with him?"

"He's alone, I'm pretty sure. I…well, I knew who he used to travel with. It's somebody I had to…" Finn explained, lingering his words as he glanced between the others.

"I get it," Magnus said calmly. "You don't have to say anything more. If that's the case, going out right now is too risky."

Finn nodded, glancing back at the door before grabbing hold of the small shelf right beside it, beginning to slide it over as he pushed against one side, "--Right now, we need to at least seal the entrances."

There were plenty of shelves of sturdy wood to spare, paired with the books that occupied them, it made for a weighty barricade.

"Finn, are you alright? You look exhausted," Charlotte asked with worry, helping him in moving the shelving.

Magnus stood beside him as well, helping to push the shelf in place, "She's right, Finn. Listen, we'll take care of barricading this place for now. Just take a bit to relax, alright? Go eat something, get your head straight."

"But, I–" Finn attempted to protest.

Though he wanted to reject the offer, the exhaustion that plagued his body, but even more so his mind, interrupted him before he could even decline.

"Right…Yeah, thanks," Finn accepted with a quiet nod.

That's what sounded just fine to him: a moment of rest. He moved himself through the maze of shelves before replaceing where the supplies were. While listening to the sound of the other two moving shelves to bolster the building's defenses, he sat himself down tiredly.

After what he endured, the emptiness in his stomach brought him to reach for a container of almonds and a bottle of water. He didn't waste any time shoveling a handful of the nuts into his mouth before washing it down, gulping down the refreshing drink.

Even if his wounds were recovered, it only seemed to make him hungrier and thirstier. As he finished up his impromptu snack, he sat there, attempting to close his eyes to rest.

'Rest is fine, right? Just a little bit. They can handle this for now, right? Crow won't attack yet, will he?' He thought while sitting there with his back against the shelf, having to replace comfort in the unorthodox sleeping position.

Shutting his eyes only let him sit in the darkness; a lightless void that replayed the fresh memories in his head over and over again. The gruesome sights of the cities, those he lost, those he had to kill with his own hands.

These nightmares replayed, only topped off by the pressing anxiety of the hunter as his eyes shot back open again.

He was unable to get even a minute of proper sleep in the state he was in, replaceing his heart too riled up from the stress as he let out a quiet breath.

'I won't get any rest like this. No point,' he thought, picking himself up to his feet.

The maze of shelves took him from left-right-left a few times before he found himself at the entrance of the library, which had been cleared up considerably already. He found the swede sweating as he toppled another shelf in front of the doors, while the young woman moved a desk amongst many in front of the windows.

Magnus wiped the sweat from his forehead while pushing a breath from his lips after finishing moving one heavy barricade, "Phew…Oh, Finn. Restless?" The man took notice of the one who should be resting.

"Yeah, guess so," Finn answered, walking over to as he glanced around, seeing much of the hardwood floor left open now with many of the shelving being moved.

"Can't blame you. If this guy is as determined as you say he is, I keep thinking he might just burst through before I can finish securing the entrance," Magnus remarked.

Finn decided to hoist up a table, placing his hands on its underside to lift it, carrying it with him to the mess of wood at the door, "--Yeah. You're not wrong there."

As he placed the table down atop the stockpile of furniture being used to barricade the entrance, it began to resemble the sort of makeshift dam a beaver would make.

"I know it's a bit late to ask, but are you sure bunkering down is the right call?" Magnus asked. "We're sitting ducks now."

"He can track me down anywhere, so leaving wouldn't be beneficial. At least this way, we've got the advantage if he comes here," Finn explained, nudging his boot against the front barricade.

"This won't stop him from coming in, will it?" Charlotte wondered, brushing her hands off.

Finn shook his head, "It'll really only slow him down a bit. But, it'll give us the chance to react and prepare."

"I hope you're right. I don't really like the idea of falling into the hands of a cannibal," Magnus remarked. "If things do get rough, I'm afraid this place is getting destroyed. My weapon isn't suited for indoors."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to drag you two into this, but…I assumed he already knew about this place and you both as well," Finn apologized with quiet words.

Charlotte placed a hand on his arm with a look of reassurance, "We're in this together, aren't we? That means we have to survive–together. That's the only way we'll make it."

"I'll trust that you made the right call, Finn. If I die tonight though, I'll curse you," Magnus said with a deadpan expression.

Finn nodded, "Fair enough."