Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System

Chapter 17: Anarch Shop

It was behind the chamber of pillars and bloodied steps that a small section was found; a round-built room housing a single, wooden chest within it.

A "treasure room"—a place at the end of dungeons where the main rewards were to be found. It was a concept Finn was familiar with from the games he played.

Walls of blue, chalk-like material made up the section, with accessories that resembled stars and mechanical, celestial bodies hanging from the ceiling.

"Look at this place. It's...interesting," Damian said, looking up as he tapped his finger against a dangling ornament.

"Doesn't look like Raven came back here before we arrived," Finn pointed out, noticing the chest was still kept shut.

The container made of wood was covered with carvings, painted over with a cerulean substance. On the front was an ornament in the shape of a ruby moon.

Finn knelt in front of it, running his hands over the smooth surface, "Alright, ready?"

"C'mon! Stop with all the suspense, I can't take it!" Damian impatiently said,

It took a bit of elbow grease to lift the lid of the chest open. Just as it was brought up, a wave of blue dust breathed out from the inside.

"Hff—" Finn coughed out, waving the invasive particles away.

"Oh, man, that's been closed awhile, hasn't it?" Damian remarked, moving his hand as well.

"That's how it goes in dungeons like this," Finn said, reaching into the chest.

There were some random jewels and such, which went straight into the pockets of the two. What was more important was what was discovered at the bottom of the chest—

"Jackpot," Finn claimed, lifting what he grabbed from within it.

A glass vial containing a bright, golden liquid inside of it. There was no doubt it contained mystical properties going by the glowing state of the substance.

[Divine Ambrosia]

"Careful–I mean, if that stuff can really heal any type of injury...It's worth a million bucks, I'd say," Damian cautioned him, warily holding his hands up.

Finn laughed, tossing it to his friend, "You hold it, then."

"Ah–dammit, don't do that!" Damian said, catching the priceless potion with a sigh.

It was in another room further ahead of the one they were in that another staircase was found, leading further up. The chamber was similar to the one they initially discovered within the Tower; walls of rich marble with peculiar sculptures on display.

"Think it's safe?" Damian asked, looking up, hugging the ambrosia as though it were a fragile infant.

Finn led the way, stepping onto the ominous staircase, "Only way is to see for ourselves."

Their footsteps echoed as the steps were traversed, leading up into a room that was vaguely familiar, though different. A counter was positioned across the chamber of gilded walls, inlaid with stained glass.

As the counter was approached, as expected, a bell was discovered:

"Wait a minute..." Damian realized.

"It's another Bazaar," Finn said.

With a tap of the brass bell, a puff of colorful smoke provoked the arrival of, once more, a familiar, but different presence.

This time, it was a humanoid with a head like that of a catfish, coated in light-blue skin while wearing an exuberant, white suit with a fluffy, gold scarf.

"Welcome to the Bazaar, and congratulations on reaching the second floor, travelers," the fish-headed shopkeeper greeted them. "What may I interest you in?"

As Finn and Damian looked at one another with their clothes left in tatters and weapons broken, it was clear what they needed.

Replacing the torn clothes he wore, and a complete lack of a shirt, Finn found an all-black outfit, fit with metal straps and a sleek coat.

[Umbral Uniform] [-2750 Anarch Coins]

[Erebus Dagger] [-2200 Anarch Coins]

He slid on a pair of black gloves, tightening the steel toe, matching boots with it as the outfit was complete. Between his fingers, he flipped around the pitch-black dagger, getting a feel for it.

It had a scarlet streak running down the middle, with a notch at the top.

"Looking snazzy, Finn!" Damian remarked.

"Hope it's as effective as it is expensive," Finn replied, adjusting the silver scarf it came with.

The fish-faced shopkeeper rubbed his hands together in delight, "I assure you it is most effective for one who favors stealth such as yourself! The umbral threads will make you blend into darkness, even where it does not dwell! Further, that dagger is able to dispel magic!"

For Damian, a more bulky set of equipment was chosen with a white-leather uniform, covered with plates of cobalt armor around his body.

[Highwinder Armor] [-2500 Anarch Coins]

[Giant-Slayer Greataxe] [-2000 Anarch Coins]

The axe he chose to buy was twice as large as his starter one, made of black steel with wing-like engravings along its handle.

"Hell yeah! I feel like a badass straight out of an RPG now! How do I look, Finn?" Damian excitedly asked, tying a bandana on his forehead as he posed with his new weapon.

"Like you should be taking the hits for me," Finn playfully answered while adjusting his gloves.

It wasn't just the world that had become engulfed in fantastical changes, but now they found themselves embracing that change in their outfits that seemed straight out of a world of magic.

"Do you two intend to head to the next floor? You must be itching to test out your new gear, no?" The shopkeeper asked.

"Don't know about that," Finn responded, feeling like the shopkeeper was more so trying to send them to their deaths.

Damian exhaled, rubbing the back of his head, "I'm beat. Maybe we should take a break?"

"Yeah, I agree," Finn said before turning his attention back to the fish-faced keeper of the Bazaar. "Is it allowed for us to stay here? It's a lot safer on this floor of this place than outside."

"You're free to stay in the Tower, but I do suggest staying within the inn, provided you have a hundred coins each to spend," the shopkeeper advised.

"An Inn?" Finn repeated.

"Don't see anything like that here–" Damian remarked.

It was with a single point of his finger that the non-human keeper of the bazaar guided their vision over to the right hand side of the chamber, showcasing a set of pale, red doors.

"A hundred per guest? I'm guessing there are more benefits than just a soft bed, then?" Finn asked.

The bazaar runner nodded his head, "There are quite a few benefits–such as fresh, gourmet meals prepared in accordance to whatever you request. A warm bath, a nice bed, but most of all–a place where no harm can come to you–guaranteed."

"That does sound tempting," Damian said with a sigh, rolling his shoulders tiredly.

"It would be nice to not have to sleep with one eye open," Finn remarked, finding the idea of a warm meal and a hot bath all too alluring.

The tempting offer was considered, though the thought being sidetracked as something else stole the attention of the young man.

"Hey, look!—" Damian pointed out.

Coming from the corridor that likely led to the third floor of the mystical structure was a stumbling figure. It took a moment for Finn to realize what he was looking at before realizing what it was—

A young woman; wearing a tattered, white uniform with blood staining her body. For a moment, both were left stunned to see another person–it was the first time in days they had seen somebody else still alive, even if hardly so.

"Shit!" Finn let out once realizing, running over alongside his companion.

Just as the bloodied girl stumbled into the room, she coughed out before falling over. While Damian struggled to move quickly with his bulky armor, Finn was able to rush over fast enough to catch her in his arms.

"Hey! Are you alright?!" Finn asked, knowing the answer already though the words rushed out of his mouth.

"I..." The unknown, young woman softly said, attempting to convey something before her eyes closed.

It was hard to make out what was her own blood and what wasn't, with there being so much that it was difficult to make out the wounds.

"She's unconscious–shit!" Finn said, tapping her cheek in an attempt to wake her up. "Give me the ambrosia!"

"Oh–right!" Damian remembered, removing the bottle from his belt.

The cork was flicked off in a single motion before he brought it to her lips, slowly guiding the mystical substance to her mouth.

Damian was in a panic, kneeling down as well as he moved her torn uniform, revealing a nasty gash on her abdomen, "This isn't good...! Is she still breathing?!"

"I don't know—this stuff had better work!" Finn hurriedly replied while holding the unconscious girl's head up.

Both men fell silent as the ambrosia was distributed to the stranger, making sure it was properly swallowed. It was difficult to believe in the validity of an "all-healing potion", though they watched with bated breaths.

"Did it work? How long is it supposed to take—?" The worried, brawny man asked, watching with a gulp.

Finn remained silent, keeping his eyes on the girl as well. As a few moments passed, the validity of the ambrosia seemed to be a hoax—

"Look!" Damian shouted.

From the girl's skin, a radiance began to emit like the twinkle of a star. The blood that stained her skin and clothes evaporated, peeling away as her wounds were reversed by divine grace.

"It's working—it works!" Damian yelled out in glee, grabbing his friend's arm and shaking it in excitement.

Finn didn't care about being tugged around as he felt the same way that his companion did, watching as the recovered girl coughed out.

"We finally did it," Finn said, almost in disbelief. "We saved someone—we found somebody else."

"Yeah, we did," Damian nodded his head with a smile.

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