Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System

Before moving out of the metro that now smelled like charcoal, Finn watched as the one he lent his shoulder to reached into his hoodie. A bottle partially filled with golden liquid was retrieved, being handed over to the cannoneer.

"Here, mate," Jasper offered.

"I don't need it–" Magnus opted to reject it, brushing off his injury.

Even so, Jasper practically shoved the ambrosia right into the chest of the wounded cannon-wielder.

"It's better to just accept it, trust me," Finn advised, knowing the stubbornness of the aussie, wiping the blood from the cut on his cheek.

"You'll feel a whole lot better. And you won't slow us down," Charlotte added in to convince the reluctant man.

Though the young woman was kind to a fault, even she knew how to push the cannoneer to finally give in.

Begrudgingly so, Magnus took the bottle and accepted a sip of the divine liquid. Sure enough, the shredded arm fixed itself as though touched by the hand of an angel.

Magnus moved his arm around, finding it completely fine before returning the nearly empty bottle to the one who offered it, "Thanks. I guess I owe you now. As I said, I don't like owing debts, so I'll pay you back soon enough."

"Whatever you say, mate. Just don't burst my ear about it," Jasper said before stuffing the bottle back into his hoodie.

Finn kept the exhausted knight's arm around his shoulder, giving him a pat on the back as they moved towards the moonlit staircase back to the surface, "Let's get to the Tower. I bet we can all use a bed and warm meal at this point."

"Now you're speaking my language," Jasper said.

Ascending the steps of the metro led to the surface of the streets once more, though none stepped out until verifying there were no monsters roaming the area. While the footsteps of giants could be heard in the distance, it looked to be clear.

"Alright, let's go," Finn gave the go-ahead, moving out with the knight around his shoulder.

The street he found himself walking was noticeably more packed with cars; not more than a few steps could be taken without being blocked by a vehicle. It wasn't far off, only a few blocks away now–the ever-present, fantastical sight of a Tower.

"I'm going to eat whatever the hell I want when I get in that inn. I'm thinking of a chicken pot pie, and maybe an apple pie to go with it," Finn remarked while passing by a flipped-over taxi, keeping hold of his companion's arm. "What about you guys?"

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Jasper didn't take long to give an answer, "I think I'll go with fish n' chips with a cold one to go with it."

"Can't go wrong with that," Finn said.

"Surprised you aren't going for a kangaroo burger," Magnus added in while passing between a split-in-half SUV.

A light laugh came from the helmed man, "And what about you, mate? Meatballs, I'm guessing?"

"If you must know, I think I'll have kroppkakor," Magnus tiredly said while looking at the iridescent structure. "I can almost taste it, really."

"No clue what that is," Jasper remarked.

"Is that so? I might be willing to part with a portion," Magnus offered stoically. "In exchange for fish, that is."

"A fair enough trade, mate. I might take you up on that," Jasper remarked with a quiet laugh.

The whole time the Swede and Aussie bickered, Finn found that the young woman was silent in thought, as if still trying to decide what she wanted.

"What about you?" Finn asked, glancing back at Charlotte.

"Probably…" She lingered her answer, putting a finger to her chin. "Ice cream? What's that one with all the colors?"

"Rainbow sherbet?" Finn responded.

"Yeah, that's the one!" Charlotte pointed at him with a smile. "I've always seen it on T.V. but I've never had it myself. So, I think I'll try that."

"Not a bad choice," Magnus remarked.

"I could go for some myself," Jasper added, keeping his arm around the assassin's shoulder.

"Just make sure we get to the Tower first," Finn reminded the others. "Then you can have any kind of ice cream you want."

Through the moonlit street, the crater which was created from the arrival of the cloud-reaching structure led them to a downhill descent.

With tired steps, the entrance into the Tower was approached, welcoming in the exhausted survivors. The exuberant interior like that of a heavenly cathedral was found again; the sound of colossal footsteps, howling fiends, and burning buildings was no longer present.

Only a calm, safe environment; one that let Finn finally breathe.

Ascending the singular set of spiraling stairs led to a familiar sight: a bazaar overseen by one figure.

"Welcome to the Bazaar, adventurers," the inhuman figure that resembled a man crossed with a boat greeted them.

"We need four rooms," Finn said, walking up to the counter.

"The cost is—" The shopkeeper began to say.

"I've got it," Finn interrupted, waving off the fee.

While the others tried to protest him tackling all of their costs, he didn't want to hear it.

"I don't like owing anybody," Magnus insisted.

Finn brushed off the remark, "Then pay me back another day."

"Well, cheers, mate," Jasper graciously accepted, still somewhat wobbly on his own.

With their permission given for the night to stay in the Tower's inn, perhaps the last place to truly rest in a small bit of paradise, they moved into the corridor.

Of course, all of their rooms neighbored one another in the seemingly endless realm of utopian rooms.

"Let's meet in the morning. We'll begin our ascent of the Tower then," Magnus planned.

"Sounds good to me," Finn said.

"Agreed," Charlotte added in.

While everyone was on the same page, Finn noticed the Australian knight quietly opening the door to his own room.

"Jasper? You're in, too, right?" Finn asked, knowing that he was trying to avoid anything cemented.

"Err, yeah, mate, I guess that works," Jasper hesitantly agreed.

"Great," Finn gave a thumbs-up.

With their plans settled, he entered his designated room, closing the door behind him. The sight of the neat, safe room was something that immediately made his tired body yearn to relax.

"Finally," Finn let out a sigh, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

The threat of lurking monsters or fellow survivors with malicious intent was absent now, at least for the night. Being able to take that off his mind felt like shedding a suit of stone from his body.

'What a long day…Way too long. I'm just thankful we all made it through—could've easily gone a different way,' he tiredly thought while rubbing his face.

The thought of eating slipped his mind as he sat there, finding himself distracted by how comfortable he was.

He removed the top of his black, stealth-natured uniform, leaving his upper body bare as he stood up.

"Hmm…" He looked at himself in the mirror, checking the state of his body.

While he wasn't necessarily out of shape before the world was flipped on its head, he found himself in top athletic condition.

'Guess I've pushed my body more than ever before. Or is this from the system? Maybe both…but I can tell I've been changed fundamentally, down to the atoms. It's the only way all of this craziness is even possible,' Finn thought as he felt his now callused hands, feeling a deep reservoir of strength in his muscles as he moved his arms.

A sigh left his lips as he shook his head; the feeling of dirtiness on his body was clearly felt as he had been through the ringer the past couple days. This sensation naturally brought him to the shower attached to the main room, not wasting any time in turning the nozzle as the hot, almost scalding water came spraying out.

"—"

Letting the purifying liquid run over his body, he felt everything be washed away. He kept his head down as the warmth ran through his hair, sliding down his face.

Standing there as steam filled up the glass-walled shower, closing his eyes brought silent memories back to the surface.

Amidst reminiscing of better days and what was lost, what he found himself unable to shake was what he last witnessed in his encounter with the sickening hunter.

'…If he's still out there, then…I don't want to think about that. Not right now—I have to let myself ease up a bit, right?' He reminded himself, placing his hand against the tile wall of the shower.

Rinsing himself in the hot water for awhile, it was by getting himself dressed again did he feel his hunger setting in. He opted not to yet put his coat on, instead grabbing the menu placed on the wooden dresser adjacent to the bed.

Knock. Knock.

Before he could even open the menu to choose his desired dinner, the gentle sound at the door turned his head.