Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System

The ethereal platforms lead into a set of marble steps of the floating island's front. As high as he was, the air howled at his ears, feeling the stronger winds brush against his body. Heights were something he had to become accustomed to as of recent, but glancing down to see the barren land far, far below made his head get fuzzy.

He watched the fearless ball of energy up ahead hop into the fractured, marble steps from the last platform.

"Made it!" Nova called out happily, turning back to wave at those behind.

Seeing how chipper and proud the girl was about making it first, Finn hurriedly arrived at the final platform, though was met with a stomach-churning sight. There was a gap between the last step of light and the steps attached to the island; it was only a few feet at most, though enough for the cloud-faring heights to be felt.

'Man…what the hell did I get into?' He thought when peering down by the fault of his own curiosity.

He was tempted to simply throw his blade forward and use his warp, though it felt like a vast overcomplication, especially when those following behind him didn't have such crutches.

"You can do it!" The encouragement came from Nova, who waited on the steps while clapping her hands.

The support only served to annoy him before he committed to crossing the gap with a light jump. For a brief moment, he felt his legs crossing over the air, feeling the incredible heights below before his boots touched the stable stone.

"--Hah," Finn exhaled as he found himself safe on the steps.

As he caught his breath after his lungs promptly forgot how to welcome air after such a jump, he found himself getting a pat on the arm from the short-statured woman.

Nova gave him a smile as her eyes sparkled, "Good job! Wasn't that fun?"

"Not in the slightest," Finn answered.

As he glanced back, he moved up a few steps as Charlotte made the jump right behind him.

"Ah—" Charlotte stumbled a bit.

Before she could risk slipping off one of the steps, Finn grabbed her wrist, helping her catch her balance.

"Thanks," Charlotte said with a slight flush to her cheeks, looking down.

He let go of her wrist with a small smile, "Mhm. It's a scary jump. I just hope Magnus doesn't barf."

Jasper crossed the gap with a slight sway, though Magnus looked as though he'd seen a ghost as he stood at the crossing point. Just standing there, it looked like the slender cannoneer was about one moment from being swept away by a passing breeze, one glance down from fainting.

"C'mon, mate, it's a small jump–barely a light hop away!" Jasper assured the one afraid of heights.

"Hardly a jump when a small slip can land me falling at god knows how high—yes, thank you, very helpful, Jasper," Magnus responded, speaking quickly while gulping.

Finn offered a lending hand, though the pride of the Swede seemed to overpower his fears as he took the jump—

It looked as though for a moment Magnus lost consciousness before landing on the skyward staircase, breathing out, "I made it…See, perfectly fine."

"Nothing to it, mate," Jasper assured him.

The vast steps awaited them, with the sky at their backs. Of course, Nova practically skipped up the regal stairs as the wind howled.

Finn traversed the steps while looking towards the colossal castle. It was unnaturally large and magnificent in form; a structure straight out of a fairy tale.

In the sky, what looked to be birds soared freely around the floating region. At a distance they looked unassuming, though the flying creatures were quickly discerned to be colossal with pointy heads like that of Jurassic-era beasts.

"I hope those stay over there," Jasper remarked from a few steps behind.

"I'm not up to fight with anything on these steps," Magnus remarked, doing his best not to get sick on the step stairway.

It was likely a hundred steps before the summit was reached, bringing Finn to bring himself onto a vast courtyard. The tiles of stone were overlooked by a massive wall of golden steel, presenting the faces of lions on their exterior.

"This must be the gate that the skeleton mentioned," Jasper said.

It hummed with a translucent force that rose to unseen heights, safeguarded by primal magic. By all means, it did in fact look impassable.

"Bummer," Nova huffed, tapping her fingers against the barrier, "—Gah!"

A simple touch of the magical wall rejected the young woman's finger with fierce feedback. It didn't look to do any real damage, though it left the tip of Nova's finger oozing with steam.

"Why would you touch it?!" Finn asked, watching the girl shake her hand while wincing.

"I was curious!" Nova reasoned.

"Don't just stick your hands into magic-stuff you have no clue about," Finn reprimanded her.

Nova crossed her arms with a huff, "Who made you my boss?"

"I—urgh, whatever," Finn gave up as he ruffled his own hair before looking back at the others.

The skybound courtyard, overlooked by the upside down landscapes not too far above, was subjected to grumbling winds.

"There's supposed to be a sewer entrance somewhere, right?" Jasper asked, kneeling down to tap the tiles.

"Yeah, Geoffrey said it was near the gate," Finn said, pacing across the courtyard in search of the hidden passage.

They each searched for the particular pathway, though the courtyard was rather spacious, with luscious gardens neighboring the tiles.

"Not seeing anything, mates," Jasper remarked.

"It might be hidden in the bushes," Magnus suggested near the steps.

Charlotte called out from near the nestle of bushes, "Over her—!"

Just as Finn heard the spellblade call out, the wind flexed as though something of grand force descended. He looked up, grabbing the sleeve of the eccentric girl while jumping back.

"Hey!—" Nova shouted as she was suddenly pulled back.

The assassin's quick thinking proved correct as a weight crashed down where they once stood.

A gust of wind pushed outward along with chunks of shattered stone from the tiles landed on. What stood there amidst the settling dust resembled a knight in bulky, gilded armor with a winged helmet.

"I was wondering if it'd stay quiet…" Jasper said while readying his sword and shield.

"I'm surprised it took this long for us unwelcome guests to be greeted," Magnus responded, pulling up his cannon.

What put into question the origins of the knightly figure was their stature, towering over three meters in height with a battle-axe in his hands large enough to bring down redwood in a single slash.

["Sleuth Status"]

[...Assessing information about [???]...]

[BOSS Identified: "Storm Knight, Alexander"] [Level: 37]