Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System

There was more caution taken in traversing the tunnels of the underground section of the floating region now, seeing as the existence of such ferocious reptiles wasn't one that inspired carelessness.

Finn led with his silent steps, continuing down the chosen path, keeping an eye on the still water for any movement. While he tried to focus on the grimey tunnels and the foul water, his attention was continuously disrupted by the groans of disgust or playful hums from Nova.

Whatever it was, it seemed impossible for the bard to keep quiet.

It was turning the only corner ahead that he discovered something ahead: a person wrapped up in cloth, shivering on the ground.

"Hey–somebody's there," Jasper called out.

"Careful. We don't know if they're friendly or not," Magnus advised.

Though that didn't stop Finn and Charlotte from approaching foremost, finding that the trembling person who laid in the sewers was hardly in any shape fit to do anything. By their messy, long hair that resembled seaweed, it seemed to be a woman, though left only to bones that were covered in fuzz and growths.

'It looks like…cancer of some kind?' He thought.

"...Oooaahh…" A groan left the shivering bones.

Charlotte had a look of sadness when seeing the clearly suffering person, "Hello, I'm Charlotte. We're not here to hurt you–"

"Ooaahh…The pain. Please, end this curse…This place is hell," the skeletal woman groaned more.

"This place?" Magnus repeated.

The trembling undead that looked to hardly cling to any semblance of life continued to groan and shake as if experiencing a terrible cold, "...They throw us down here to rot…The Gluttonous One consumes us all…I just want it to end…"

Finn looked between the others, not needing to share any words as what needed to be done seemed clear enough as he brought his dagger out, "Alright. If this is what you want."

"Oaahh…Please, end it…The cold…" The skeleton begged in a weak voice.

He gently slid the dagger into the pile of agonized bones before infusing it with the concept of death.

"...Oaahh…Thank you. The only way into the castle…is through the Gluttonous One's chamber…" The suffering one said through lifeless whispers being all sense of life was extinguished.

["Mirana defeated."] ["Anarch Coin x1 obtained."]

[Experience Points: +5] [16010/60000]

[Assimilated ability from [Miranda]: "Lesser Wisp" 1 / 1]

"They're gone?" Nova asked quietly.

"Yeah," Finn answered before standing back up with a quiet exhale. "They can rest now."

Jasper ruffled his own hair with a disgruntled look, "I know we're not in any position to judge, but this world…it's damn depressing, mate."

"It's practically dead already. Everybody left is just...hanging on by a thread," Charlotte said.

"And we're going to sever it," Finn said.

The tunnel led into a larger, open space of the sewers; an area where many tunnels connected into a sprawling intersection. Each passage was busy pouring the sewage into a massive drain in the center, producing a foul air.

"Uergh…Is it just me or does it reek twice as bad in here?" Jasper asked, clenching his nose.

"My sense of smell gave up a long time ago," Magnus answered, not flinching at the putrid aroma.

Finn walked over the metal bars of the huge drain, looking around as there were far too many paths to choose from now with no discernable sense of direction.

"The walls…look," Charlotte pointed out while standing beside him.

It was only then when looking where she guided his sight did he discover what completely covered the wall up ahead; a thick tar, mixed between a shade of black and scarlet.

"What is that?" Nova asked concerningly, taking a few steps back.

The disgusting substance that coated the vast wall pulsated as though it were living flesh, holding within it junk; discarded weapons and armor, entire tree trunks, and even bones.

"It's…breathing?" Magnus observed.

Finn glanced around, finding that the substance was completely coating the walls, bubbling up and steaming as even the tunnels were blocked off, "The passages–they're covered!"

"Shit…I don't think we can touch that stuff, mate! It looks like it's boiling to the touch," Jasper called out.

"Look!" Charlotte shouted.

It was directly ahead that Finn found his attention pulled, witnessing the tar ripple as a shape emerged from its unnatural depths. Foremost that came from the submerged walls were arms slick in the black substance, of bestial claws.

A head of curved horns soon followed, with a maw that expelled putrid breath and teeth left rotten. The colossal creature only emerged the top half of its body, sticking out of the tar as its grotesque body was stuck with abandoned weapons and skeletons that sat in its pool of black.

"A dragon?--" Magnus presumed.

["Sleuth Status"]

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

[BOSS Identified: "Fallen Icon of Gluttony, Fafnir"] [Level: 45]

"Another Boss…Give us a damn break!" Jasper called out tiredly with his sword drawn.

What Finn focused on aside from the grotesque form of the once mighty beast was the title given by the creature, "This thing–it's what the undead in the tunnels warned us of."

"We have to get through this thing to get up into the castle? Wouldn't it maybe be better to…turn back?" Nova suggested in clear disgust of the abominable being, covering her nose.

"I don't think that's even possible anymore," Charlotte reminded the bard. "It blocked off all the passages with that black goo–shoot…"

"The only path forward is through that thing. Can you fight, Nova?" Finn asked while keeping his eyes on the half-emerged dragon ahead.

Hesitation came from the small-statured bard before she finally nodded her head, "'Course…but don't expect me to get close to that thing! Not a chance!"

"Just support us with that beautiful voice and we'll handle it!" Jasper assured the bard with a smile.

"Wha–?!" Nova reacted with cherry-red cheeks at the knight's words.

The first to make a move was Finn, keeping his eyes on the gluttonous figure emerging from the wall as he flicked his wrist.

["Throwing Knife"] [Mana: -100] [1300/2500]

"Replication!" He invoked.

An additional projectile was thrown straight for the mass of gooey black that was the dragon's body, though the sharp objects only sank right into its form.

'That didn't do anything–I didn't expect it to be effective, but not completely useless,' he thought.