Versatile: Alternate World

Lina and I went deeper into the cave. It is a cave with a dead end so we are not even going to get lost even if we went deeper. With the [Light] on Lina's palms, the interior of the cave allowed us to illuminate the place a lot brighter rather than relying on our normal eyes.

"It wasn't very apparent back when we were still outside but the energy fluctuation has gotten really thick the moment we entered the cave."

"Yeah. It's not a joke since I am practically feeling being choked here."

The fluctuations of energies inside the cave are really bad that it was like you are being suffocated and choked by an invisible hand covering your mouth and nose while another hand chokes you in your neck.

The feeling is not that intense when we are both still not too far from the end but halfway, that feeling is starting to get really painful that even with my high pain threshold, this is just a bit too much. Enduring the pain of a wound and holding your breath are different matters.

Soon enough, even Lina who is very good at enduring high amounts of pain did not last long and fell to her knees as she choked in pain.

"I will put you back inside the summon's area, for now, Lina. It seems you can't endure the pressure."

"T-thanks master..." Lina is too weak to even stand back up and I recalled her before she collapsed.

As for me, I am barely handling it but I am still able to go and function normally. It's hard but not to the point it is impossible. But to be able to handle this much, you needed to be able to have experienced some very painful things to easily handle them but as always, this one is up to another level that I am barely holding it.

I went further into the cave with great difficulty until I reached the deepest parts where the revolving mana is gathering. I didn't waste any time and pulled out two big empty bottles that are usually used to fill and create an XXL sized potion.

Opening the cap of the bottle, I concentrated on the big swirl of mana and tried to make the bottle suck up the mana that is swirling around by manipulating it. At first, it was going smoothly but when I am already holding the manipulation in my hands, I felt a gripping pain in my side and in my hands.

Then, I noticed black crystals starting to form on my hands. It's rising faster than I expected but I didn't freak out and stop my manipulation with the mana. I grit my teeth and combined with the gripping pain in my hands and the suffocation feeling, I am close to collapsing, and when I was about to collapse...

"I can't stay put in here."

Atlas appeared and also started to manipulate the mana and redirected all of them into the bottle.  My vision is fading but the pain in my hands is keeping me awake. Though I am thankful for that. As much as my body wanted to collapse, the manipulation of the mana is just making everything painfully long.

But then, something unimaginable happened. The Versatile Weapon suddenly moved on its own and the black shadow dragon that is always swallowing other weapons appeared and opened its wide mouth. Atlas quickly pulled me away before the giant mouth of the black shadow dragon snapped shut.

And the mana that is trying to make some damage to me disappeared. The black crystallization on my hands also started to disappear too. The suffocation feeling that's been plaguing me ever since I stepped into this cave is also gone and my breathing is slowly returning to normal.

As for the Versatile Weapon, it floated there for a while before  I saw the black shadow dragon change. I have already mentioned before that this guy is starting to become a fully solid creature. Before, this black shadow dragon has only a black color on it, but when this guy swallowed the swirling mana, I noticed that it gained red and dark purple color markings on its body. It's not that clear but I can assume that it will become much clearer in the future.

It turned around to us before it disappeared. After its disappearance. It returned to me and landed right on my lap.

"I didn't expect your weapon to be the one that will save us from that predicament master. It saved us a lot of time draining all the mana swirling around it."

"Are you fine, Atlas? I saw your armor getting some black matter too earlier when you helped me."

"I am fine, Master. More importantly, it should be you who I should be asking. You look like you were about to be consumed by the mana earlier."

"Don't worry. It indeed felt painful. Thanks for the help. But it seems you have somewhat high resistance on the mana interference earlier. Lina seems to have a hard time handling the pressure alone."

"Lina won't be able to fight on your side, for the time being, Master. She has taken quite a lot of damage by just trying to get near here. She will have to rest for a while before she can return to her normal life. I am impressed at you Master for enduring that pain for quite long. Even I would not last that long. Though if not for the black shadow dragon on your weapon, we would have been suffering here for long enough. We should be thankful that it acted on its own."

My Versatile Weapon...as much as I have no idea what you really are, you still add more mystery to the pile you have already gathered.

...

...

...

Just like what Atlas said, Lina is incapacitated and she has to stay for quite a while recovering. so for the moment, Atlas is the one who will be accompanying me in this battle until the time she recovered.

The sound of the battle is still ongoing so perhaps the battle hasn't finished just yet. Because I felt a little bit guilty for leaving him fighting the mole alone, I decided to come back and see what happened to him.

Between the two fightings, what was surprising came out to be the mole was losing. The mole's armored skin was partially gone. Its blade claws have some snapped blades and some parts of its fur have already been gone. I also noticed that one of its eye sockets is bleeding and the other is getting red and one of its sharp teeth has been snapped too. The exposed skin of the mole also revealed a large slice that is currently bleeding profusely.

When you compare the look of the mole and the one fighting it, you would see a big difference. If the mole is already close to dying, the one fighting against the mole is still the same as ever with the smile on his face still not disappearing. Guts had the look of a satisfied crazy man having fun in his battle.

The more shocking thing is that the previously unarmed Guts earlier is now armed in his two hands, wielding two large blades. Afar, you will think he is wielding a long sword. But upon closer look, anyone can immediately see that the guy did not wield a sword, but the claws of the mole. He made it as his own weapon and used it against the original owner of the claws.

Guts have a way with the weapons too. The claws are long and sharp which is if you use it as a sword in battle, your fighting style would be similar to how a warrior fight with a longsword. However, he isn't using it as a longsword but instead adapted a playstyle that is clearly for short sword users.

His swings are fast and with both hands equipped with the claws, once one of the claws slices on the enemy, the second one will quickly add another additional slash.

"Hahaha! Oh yes, you are indeed fighting quite well, monster but how long before you can endure everything? Are you ready to fight till death? Then come at me and give me the fight I needed!"

Provoking the boss is something else. Unless I am a paladin and have a confident amount of defensive values that will keep me alive in the process or if I am very certain about my win, I won't daringly provoke a boss like this.

Despite the damages that the mole has suffered. It didn't show any kind of giving up from the battle, instead, it seems to be more active. It roared loudly before charging to Guts again.

"Hoho, so you are approaching me? Then come real close!" he grinned as he readies the claws ready for the fight.

Who would win this fight? Honestly, I don't know. However, it seems like the answer to this would be very clear very soon.