Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System

"A BOSS? Shit, you're right," Magnus realized, using sleuth for himself.

"Hold on, mate, do you think that person is…being used as a host by a critter?" Jasper asked, keeping his sword and shield ready. "I've seen this before–there's parasites that can take over hosts. Well, not on this scale though."

The thought of such a fate left Charlotte disturbed, "I've read about that in books…but something like this…Do you think he's suffering like that?"

"Don't think about that. We don't have the luxury to take pity on him right now, though," Finn stated, replicating his dagger into his other hand.

Jasper placed his sword by his shield, standing beside the assassin, "That guy is already long dead. Don't think about it as killing another person–all it is now is that damn critter in his head."

"Right…Yeah, I know," Charlotte nodded her head, steadying her breathing.

Even though the body of the dragoon was merely puppeteered by the parasite, there was still a semblance of intelligence on display from it. Against the four that stood side-by-side, it remained wary, keeping its distance, but ready to strike at any moment.

That was until Finn found Magnus raising his cannon towards the controlled corpse–

In that split-second that aggression was shown, the parasite-controlled dragoon switched stances, bringing the winged spear back as its point became shrouded in a divine glimmer.

"Move!" Finn shouted, ducking to the right.

A thrust of the spear burned away the blood that stained its majestic steel. That intense light that swelled within the tip of the weapon set forth with a hum, like that of a crescendoing choir.

["Heaven Piercer"]

A triangular force of sparkling light shot forth from the thrust, carving through the tiles of the metro platform. The release of the wing-carved weapon moved fast like a bolt of lightning, only allowing them to move out of the way with no time to spare.

However–

"Nnh!--"

The cannoneer was grazed by the burrowing light as it scraped against his side. As Finn caught himself after rolling, looking back, he saw the Swedish man holding his bleeding wound.

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Charlotte took notice of it as well, "Magnus, you're–"

"I'm fine! Just stay focused!" The cannoneer assured.

Those words rang true as with each of their focus returning to where the dragoon was, instead the figure was not seen standing at the other end of the subway, but a shadow loomed over them.

Finn looked up, finding the controlled spear-wielder leaping towards them without so much as a sound. It was an unorthodox move; the dragoon's spear was swiped forth like a halberd, intent on cleaving them all in half in one go.

Only the heightened reflexes of his allowed him to react to it, as the others were still left processing that stomach-dropping sight.

["Blink Slash"] [2:59]

There was no time to commit to anything else as he warped himself right into the path of the sweeping spear, meeting it steel-to-steel. The wings protruding from the sides of the massive spear were blades themselves, turning the weapon into a pseudo-halberd.

CLANG

The collision of his daggers against the much larger point of the spear rang through his skeleton like the chime of a bell. He felt the force vibrate through his body, only barely managing to deflect the leaping strike.

Just as his feet touched back on the ground, he breathed in, confronting the controlled dragoon face-to-face as its insectoid eyes locked onto him. The lifeless husk moved unnaturally, twisting its body around to commit to another sweeping strike just as its feet touched the ground as well.

["Orcish Boost"] [4:59]

His muscles warmed up and swelled as he slid his boots across the tile, using his entire body weight to spin around with both daggers. He spun around to gather momentum, clashing with that spear once more–CLANG.

Sparks fluttered like snowflakes in winter; by some miracle without a fraction of a second to spare, he deflected the spear again. Even parrying the attacks, he felt his bones ringing.

'This strength is ridiculous. I get that his body is a higher level, but it's not just that–the parasite is drawing out the body's full strength without any regard for tearing it apart,' Finn realized.

As the dragoon briefly stumbled back upon having its spear deflected, the dragonfly-headed figure lunged forward again–

Finn prepared to meet it again, though it was intercepted by the hulking weapon of the cannoneer.

BOOM

A blast of sparks ignited with a flash as the explosive force struck the dragoon directly in the chest. It blew the parasite-infested one back, leaving a trail of smoke.

"Shit," Magnus scoffed quietly.

Even with a direct hit, the dragoon remained on its feet, standing there as if not feeling pain from the wound burned onto its chest. The cannon fire had blasted right into the armor, burning the chest of the host as the flesh was left burnt and bleeding, yet unfazed.

While Finn considered his next move, he found the spellblade and knight pursuing the dragoon directly. With flames enhancing the woman's sword and Jasper's blade being shrouded in light, they each sought to slash the swaying target, yet–

What caught the eye of the perceptive assassin was the faint, sky-blue glow that stretched down its spear.

"Get back! Get away from it!" Finn shouted, swiping his hand as he realized what was coming.

Charlotte stopped in her tracks, "What?--"

As if manipulated by a puppeteer's strings, the limbs of the dragoon moved positions jarringly as the bones of the corpse's arms cracked, raising the spear. From the weapon's point, a fantastical shine emitted as a light coiled around the controlled figure.

The glow of an ethereal dragon shrouded the dragoon like a cloak, reaching up to the glistening spear.

'That shine, raising the spear like that–it's about to unleash that skill,' Finn recognized.

There was hardly enough time for both the spellblade and knight to move back, though even Finn didn't feel secure at the distance he was at, calling out to the cannoneer beside him:

"Use it now! Use Lost Sanctuary!" Finn shouted without any care for his throat.

At that moment, Magnus had no choice but to nod his head before slamming the bottom of his cannon against the ground, letting the barrel point towards the ceiling of the metro.

["Lost Sanctuary"]

A golden light breathed out from the cannon, shooting out orbs that landed on each of them. Finn let the mystical orb collide with his body, causing a protective bubble to form around himself. Each of the defensive projectiles arrived just as the dragoon finished winding up its devastating move.

"...You're going to…miss the bus…" From the lips of the puppeteered corpse, barely-strung together words left without any emotion.

["Era of Sky Rending"]

A brilliant light extended from the tip of the weapon, cutting into the ceiling above. It dragged the extension downward, completely cleaving through the roof and slicing through the ground in front of itself. The manipulated corpse wildly swung its spear, using it more like a scythe.

The far-reaching, cobalt light was easily carved through the subway; pillars were bisected, the dormant train to the right was cut into like a cake.

An all-consuming, whirlwind of sky-blue light; a death sentence.

"Ngh!--"

"Ah!"

The parasite maneuvered the far-eviscerating spear with such wild, reckless speed that the slashes were far too numerous to evade. Try as they might to avoid them, Finn watched his companions be struck, only saved by the protective bubbles that burst upon being hit.

He jumped up as the swift light swept by his feet, flipping himself around as another swipe passed over his head. Just as his feet landed, he dropped down to his hands and feet as the slice of death passed right over.

As he jumped to his feet, his vision was consumed by that sky-blue radiance; a sight that came to quickly that he was left defenseless–

'Shit!--' He thought.

The bubble shattered as his one-time defense expired, still finding his boots sliding back from the residual force of the nullified blow.

Only a few seconds did the assault of the dragoon last, but it was enough to leave the metro looking as though it had endured a natural disaster; the train was split into a dozen pieces, the platform being carved up with chunks of the ceiling raining down.

"I'm…alive?" Magnus audibly wondered, touching his own chest in surprise.

That same experience was felt by them all, clear as day by the momentary suspense when experiencing the devastation of the dragoon's spear.

["Greater Gale Blessing"] [4:59]

Finn was the first on his feet again, closing the distance before the puppeteered corpse could launch another such assault. He dove right for the dragoon, convincingly going for a frontal strike before instead sinking into the ground.

["Turn Shadow"] [2:59]

Through an incorporeal form, he slipped right beneath the legs of the controlled body before emerging right out of the shadows a split-second later. Finn leapt out of the ground as if rising from unseen depths, aiming to sever the being's head from behind, however–

A twitch of the dragoon brought him to reconsider in that moment, instead choosing to back off as he flipped away. Right as he moved away, the dragoon spun around with a jarring movement, swiping its spear in a full rotation.

As Finn stood there, questioning how his faint failed, he found himself looking at those inhuman, compound eyes of the parasite.

'Right…It can see in three-hundred and sixty degrees around itself. With eyes like that, it has no blindspots,' Finn discerned.

Again, a lifeless voice escaped the lips of the man being used as a host, "...Turn the lights off…before you go to bed…Finish…your homework."

It only perplexed Finn, listening to the odd, disconnected remarks of the dragoon, 'Is it trying to communicate? No…Maybe it's a bit of that person slipping out.'