Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System

Bubbling, popping, and scraping; the heat growled and hissed at everything it touched. The air itself seemed to ignite, causing a sewer lid to pop up from the scorching temperatures. As a droplet of sweat trickled down his chin, he made the first move–

Bringing his sword up, it became engulfed in a coalescence of scarlet and black aura, intertwining into a blossoming skull.

["Deathprint Blade"]

The gathering of magical output weighed down his blade, having to tug it down with both hands into a mighty slash. A rippling conjuration of a rose-blooming skull was released, tearing forward through the melting asphalt.

As the skull chomped its rotten teeth through the burnt street, the Sun hadn't budged an inch, not so much as unfolding his blazing arms.

'He's not–?' Jasper thought, watching the deathly release crash against the manifested star.

The impact expanded with a howl like that of fading wolves, taking the form of a toxic cloud that engulfed the burning entity. Only for a split-second did he believe he might've claimed victory before the smoke was pushed away, giving way for the unbridled shine of the Sun once more.

"Right, thought so…A guy can hope," Jasper mumbled with a tired breath.

The Sun's arms had yet to so much as unfold, not having moved from his spot as a vicious smile remained perched on that fire-formed mouth.

"That was your opening strike? Unimpressive, but I shall respond," The Sun dictated.

A chill ran over the knight's body with the declaration from the entity, witnessing the figure unfold their arms with malicious intent. Every part of his body instructed him to "move", though he had no idea where–after all, the Sun's reach was simply too vast.

From the fingertips of the Sun, condensed, fast-moving beams of solar energy released, being whipped around without any care for collateral. No, it was more it seemed that the Sun sought to destroy not just the human, but everything around him–

"Ga-ha-ha-ha!"

Laughter boomed from the blazing entity, filling the knight's ears as he dashed across the street, having to hop over one of the beams of heat that passed by his ankles like a jump rope.

"--Close…!" Jasper gasped to himself, stumbling a bit before having to quickly slide across the sidewalk in his run.

He passed by a fountain built with a statue of a labrador, only for one of the Sun's beams to cut through the middle of it, instantly vaporizing the water that spewed from its mouth. The sidewalk of the plaza was ravaged by the assembly of wild lines of solar force, cutting through a smoothie shop, splitting through a pottery store with burning trails.

Another of the melting ropes passed right over his head, feeling the heat through his armor as it was mere inches from gracing him with its heat. He rolled before jumping back to his feet, not so much as slowing down to open the door of the building in front of him as he bashed his shoulder right through its glass.

Experience new stories on empire

Red-and-blue, retro carpet and arcade cabinets right by the entrance; from the posters leading the split corridors, it only took a moment to process where he'd barged into–a movie theater.

He sprinted past cardboard cut-outs of a gray-skinned, slender monster headlining a horror movie–"WENDIGO NIGHTS." Right behind him, a beam chased, carving through the building, slicing across the ceiling and burning through the out-of-date walls.

POP. POP. POP.

Ducking down as the solar rope cut across the building right over his head, he could hear the dormant popcorn in another room cooking from the sheer heat. Before the ceiling above him could collapse, he dashed through the twin doors leading into one of the theaters.

A movie was already playing; an action hero jumped across a building, chasing after a helicopter. Jasper sprinted across the empty aisles, hopping over a set of seats as he set his sights on the emergency exit–

"I THOUGHT YOU WEREN'T RUNNING?! WHERE DID THAT COURAGE WANDER OFF TOO, I WONDER?!"

The flaming voice boomed as the knight was intercepted from the exit, coming to a stop as the colossal screen was ignited. Fire ate away at the reflective screen before being burst through as the man-shaped embodiment of the Sun welcomed himself in.

Just the presence alone seemed to set the theater on fire, spreading across the walls as one-by-one, each set was engulfed in heat. With a simple waving of his hand, the Sun tossed multiple of the far-reaching, all-melting beams without any need to aim properly.

Jasper ducked down, dodging one as another came for his torso, only intercepted by his floating shield automatically getting in front of it.

Looking upon that mighty figure, Jasper questioned himself again–

'What am I doing? Do I think I even stand a chance against something like this? Seriously, just look at it, Jasper–that's the sort of shit you'd be seeing in a comic book! Save it for Superman or Thor–well, they aren't around,' he convinced himself, feeling the overwhelming heat radiating off of the overwhelming presence.

Amidst his own doubts, he blinked back into focus, finding the figure gone from the burnt screen, instead right in front of him before–

A flash of heat pushed against his body, though it was the direct force that he felt first. It rippled through his body, feeling that tremendous fist drive directly into his abdomen. All he could see was that fiery smile, burned into his mind as the air was pushed out of his mouth as a steaming gasp.

Before another breath could be drawn, he was flung back by the follow-up of the swift punch, smacking into multiple seats, crashing right through the wall as he bounced into the theater lobby. All he could do was cough out and gasp, wheezing for air as he laid on his chest, feeling as though he had swallowed burning coals.

["In terms of defensive capabilities, the "Armageddon Armor" was the best he had access to. Yet, the magical metal was caved in with the steaming imprint of the Sun's knuckles."]

Those heavy stomps were felt more than they were heard, each one sending vibrations that murmured through his armor.

'Gotta…get up,' he urged himself, having to beg his muscles to listen.

["Wartime Rejuvenation"]

The knight-class ability pushed a refreshing force through his body; flowing into each limb, his aching bones and sore muscles were given a second wind.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

It wasn't a "heal" by any means, though it provided him the means of picking himself up off the floor. With a hardly sturdy stance, he rose to his feet, breathing out as he stared ahead at the hole left in the theater lobby from his own body.

"Able to stand? Not as fragile as I thought, then. You get commendations for not having your insides turned to ash," the Sun remarked, already standing before him. "--Let's see where that limit lies, then."