Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System

A brief stop was found beneath the umbrella of a massive mushroom, at least providing some sense of privacy from the wild beings of the world.

He sat with Jeong-Hui a few feet to his side, quietly waiting as rain began to fall in abundance. Luckily, it wasn't a downpour of the icy variety, though it still made the fungal jungle rather chilly.

"Think this rain will settle any time soon?" Jeong-Hui asked.

"Hopefully. It's going to turn into a swamp at this rate," Finn observed, watching puddles rise throughout the uneven landscape.

At the very least, there didn't seem to be any immediate threats lingering in the mushroom jungle. Though he remained wary of the fungal growths themselves, watching the unnatural forms of nature slightly swaying.

"That guy earlier…Did you know him?" Jeong-Hui asked.

"Not really," Finn quietly answered, listening to the raindrops pattern against the top of the mushroom veil. "I met him when I first came here. That's all."

"I see. Well, whatever it was that got to him—we need to be cautious of it," Jeong-Hui advised, keeping his daggers ready by his hands.

"That's a given," he responded.

While sitting there, a constant watch was kept of the ground; what may linger in the soil. Small mushrooms seemed to be constantly growing in the dirt, perhaps spurred by the rain.

"Maybe it's not the best idea to stay here," Finn recommended.

"Walking through this rain won't be much better," Jeong-Hui said.

Finn picked himself up, looking at the downpour, "Well, a little rain never hurt."

"…If you say so."

Moving through the drenched jungle, the wet weather only intensified. Every step was met with a small squish into puddles, splashing water with every stride.

It was becoming harder to see with the sheer density of rain, beginning to build a light layer of mist.

"I'm not going crazy, am I? It seems like this weather is only getting more and more intense," Jeong-Hui observed, tugging his hood over his head.

"Most likely…" Finn answered.

Some time of hiking led to splashing his boots through mud, passing between colorful stalks of mushrooms. There wasn't any destination in mind, only somewhere perhaps a bit more suitable. A slightly rumble through the ground caused the puddles to ripple, bringing him to a halt.

"Look out," Jeong-Hui calmly warned.

It erupted from just ahead; a flat mushroom rose from the drenched soil. What unearthed itself was a colossus; a man-shaped fungal being.

[Enemy Identified.]

["Shroom Titan"] [Level: 95]

It had a body like that of a strongman, though somehow not made of flesh, but purely fungus. The titanic mushroom slammed its white-and-brown arms against the soil, sending a rippling force through it.

"Seriously?" Finn mumbled.

"I'm not surprised," Jeong-Hui remarked.

From the impact of the Shroom Titan's fist, an assembly of mushrooms sprouted, each releasing a wave of spores in the air.

"Don't breathe it in!" Jeong-Hui warned, slipping back.

"I know that!"

Finn tucked his coat over his nose, gripping his blades as wind enveloped his daggers—

["Greater Gale Blessing"] [4:59]

He slashed at the spore-releasing mushrooms, pushing away the invasive particles and cutting up the fungal growths. At the same time, the brute charged shoulder first for him—

As he slipped back, a shadow of his companion slid by the legs of the giant. A pair of slashes attacked its heels, bringing the mushroom titan to collapse amidst its charge.

"Finn!" Jeong-Hui shouted.

He already knew what was asked of him, flipping over the fallen giant as he plunged his blade into its flat head. As his blade pushed in, it didn't particularly feel as if he hit anything; no skull or brain for that matter.

'Does it even have a weak point?' He questioned.

"Watch out!"

The warning was heeded as he flipped back just as the body of the Titan began to convulse. It erupted with rows of mushrooms expanding from its form, lashing out.

Peculiar liquids shot out from some of the fungal growths, while others produced nebulous powder.

He stayed at least ten meters away alongside the red-haired assassin while the Shroom Titan wobbled.

"There's no way to get close to it now," he watched cautiously. "—No way to tell what it's producing."

"I agree. That would leave ranged skills, but if I'm being honest, destroying this body might have the inverse effect," Jeong-Hui theorized.

As they strategized, the fungal giant stomped around, wildly thrashing at the bits of nature around it. It certainly didn't have the sense of sound or sight, likely moving purely off what it felt.

"So, your plan being?" Finn glanced over.

"Run," Jeong-Hui admitted, suddenly bursting off in a dash.

Finn followed along, not wanting any part in dealing with the nuisance of a giant. It was admittedly not a tall task to flee from the fungal mass, simply leaving it to rampage in the jungle.

Glancing behind him, there wasn't any sign of it as he looked forward again—thwunk. Something hit him, at least, that's what it felt like as everything went black.

["—"]

Like a snap of one's fingers, he opened his eyes, finding himself far removed from the mushroom jungle. It was a massive stretch of barren land, overlooked by the abyssal sky that seemed to ooze black matter.

"What happened…?" He muttered, rubbing his head.

"Everything is falling apart."

The voice was familiar, bringing him to glance over, finding himself met with the presence of the enigmatic traveler.

"Evanescence," he quietly said. "What's going on? I'm confused…Just a moment ago—"

The man in the black coat was looking up at the sky, "The entity you released from captivity. This is its doing."

"What the hell do you even know? You never explain anything—just vague answers!" Finn shouted, pacing around the brittle soil.
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The nebulous man didn't seem bothered by the remarks, continuing on, "I'm only telling you what you need to know. The fabric of reality is decomposing as we speak—it's all blending together, mixing and sloshing."

"What do you want me to do about it?" Finn asked, breathing out.

There wasn't any sign of the red-haired assassin, though he had no clue as to how much time had passed.

The Evanescent watched the abyssal sky, "The only thing you can do now is survive. Maybe through that, an answer will come. As it stands, I doubt there will be much left of anything soon enough."