Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System

"Are you asking me why I\'m not using a dagger against this living mass of gunk!?" Finn shouted, having to speak over the dragon\'s roar. "--This is better for handling big guys like that!"

Amidst their discussion, the black limb of the dragon slammed down between the two, prompting them both to jump to either side. The arm befalling the metal grating brought a splash of the boiling tar, making it hard to close in to retaliate.

Jasper kept his shield up against the wave of the putrid substance, though Finn only used the massive blade to block against it the best he could. A few droplets met his clothing, burning right through the fabric as he pushed through.

\'--We need to push the damage…quickly! If we can\'t finish it fast enough, it\'s going to flood us with this damned goop!\' Finn thought.

["Orcish Boost"] [4:59]

He allowed his muscles to briefly swell as he lifted the massive sword overhead with both hands before bringing it down on the arm laid between them. The blade struck through the tar, carving right into the bones that laid beneath.

At the same time, Jasper brought his blade down with an infusion of sapphire light, digging into the bone beneath as well.

Charlotte sprinted by, using quick slashes in a plentiful fashion, cutting through its non-solid flesh with infusions of light.

All of it brought the putrid dragon to roar out in agony before pulling its arm back up, though not before being subject to a burst of cannonfire–BOOM.

"--Incoming!" Magnus shouted with his assault\'s arrival.

["Sparking Disruption"]

Each projectile fired from the cannoneer\'s weapon broke off into an explosive of sparks, striking the gooey flesh of the beast with the volatile element.

The decayed dragon once more let out a bellow as its bones were exposed, bringing its flesh to shift around and fill in.

"We\'re hurting it! It\'s definitely feeling it now!" Jasper called out.

Nova kept back, being careful not to dive her shoes into any puddles of muk, "Let\'s just finish this quickly, okay?!"

Though the tides of battle looked favorable, the bellows of the beast came to an end as it lifted its head, closing its mouth as if preparing to spit out.

"—Get ready! It\'s about to release something!" Finn shouted, watching the emerged dragon\'s throat swell.

"Fire?!" Charlotte guessed.

"I don\'t think that\'s it!" Finn yelled.

As Fafnir\'s maw parted, there was no glow of flames; a pitch black abyss persisted in its throat, rising and spraying out.

Putrid bile released from its mouth like a fountain, boiling in the air before it rained down. There was far too much to evade; even if he believed he might be able to manage, Finn knew it wouldn\'t be the same for everybody else.

Jasper yelled, raising his shield, "Get to me!"

["Stance: Walls of The Iridescent Castle"]

An ethereal wall bolstered itself in an upward angle above the knight, producing a cover for the boiling substance.

While Charlotte and Magnus made their way over behind the knight\'s shield, Nova wasn\'t quite as swift.

"Gah!…I can\'t!" The bard shrieked, stumbling back as the acidic bile rained down right in front of her.

Finn watched while sprinting towards the knight\'s cover, having to instead take a hard pivot as he slid himself over to the bard.

"You\'re a pain in the ass, y\'know that?!" Finn said, having to slide right past droplets of bile.

"Hey, I\'m not—wha?!" Nova let out as her feet were swept beneath her.

He didn\'t listen to the hoodie-wearing girl before hoisting her up and holding her in his arms.

"Get over here, mate!" Jasper shouted while looking back.

"Trying!" Finn shouted while holding the bard like a princess.

["Phantom Flow"]

He skated across the rusted grates, having to spin around and pivot as the downfall of bile came down quickly. Even as he moved, there was only so much he could avoid as a few droplets hit his back, burning right through the fabric of his coat and searing the skin beneath.

"Ngh…" He gritted his teeth, not stopping as he slid across the metal flooring.

Right as he reached the cover of the knight, he set the bard down, who was still taken by surprise of the unexpected maneuver. Finn let out a breath as he watched the downpour of the acidic substance befall the barrier above.

It was even more plentiful by the moment, beginning to pile up on the ground as the gooey bile blocked off the drain, creating puddles of the abhorrent tar. As the dragon continued expelling it endlessly, it was becoming clear just what it was intending to do.

"Is it ever going to stop?!" Jasper asked through a strained breath, pressing his shoulder against his own shield.

Finn watched the rotten beast as sweat dripped from his chin, speaking what was on his mind without filtering himself, "...It knows we have no choice but to defend. It\'s just going to flood the whole chamber and wear us down until we\'re swallowed in the substance."

"What do we do then? What can we do?" Charlotte asked in a hurry.

"Finn, do you think you can get close?--" Jasper asked while straining himself to maintain the barrier.

The question was already considered as Finn lightly shook his head, "I probably could, but I don\'t have the firepower to make it stop what it\'s doing, let alone put it down. I\'d be gambling everything on one strike that wouldn\'t amount to anything."

"I thought as much…Shit–" Jasper breathed out sharply.