Versatile: Alternate World

1004  The Ancient Blacksmith is...

I opened my eyes and realized that I was somewhere now. I can still feel the pain in my body and it feels like I have some of my bones broken as well. Thankfully, I won't be dying anytime soon but remembering the battle against the Goddess of Life, was not a good way to die since I didn't immediately get killed in the process.

I stood up and wiped off the dust in my body. As I looked around, I realized that the place I got transported to was none other than the dreamscape world once more. Compared to before, the atmosphere of the place seems different. The surroundings are now color gray and for some reason, the wind that I feel every time it blows there is missing. In short, the place became lifeless all of a sudden. It was like some disaster had fallen over the place.

I started walking towards the tree that was still in the distance. As I continued to walk, I noticed that whenever I touched a few leaves whenever I pass through them, they instantly got reduced to ashes. It's not like this before so what just happened while I was away?

Fearing the worst, I decided to jog towards the tree. I still can't do a full sprint as I can still feel the pain in my body pestering me. Although I still feel the pain while jogging, it's not as painful as full running hence I just jog to get to my destination faster.

The peculiar surroundings make the eerie place a lot more eerie than before. The magical properties of this place seem to have "dried" and now, all that is left is the barren wasteland.

It didn't take me long before I reached the Yggdrasil tree where the same colors are still present but it is the only place that still has its colors remaining and the plant life there is still alive as well. Not only that but the blacksmith I met last time in this dream is still there, hammering his hammer for quite some time already. Is he not even tired of doing that?

As I approached, the Blacksmith who was still busy hammering whatever he had forged a few seconds ago stopped and looked in my direction.

"It seems you have arrived at a very convenient time, Manato," the blacksmith chuckled.

"I wouldn't be here if not for the fact that I was demolished by the Goddess of Life without any way to fight back against her," I grumbled.

"Is that so? Why do you think you are capable of killing her in any way though? She is a goddess and you are a human, killing her is not in your realm of possibility is there?" the blacksmith doesn't seem surprised by the result of the battle.

"I needed to defeat her to ensure that she won't lay a hand to my original world and ensure that she does her job properly for once instead of being a troublesome woman who seems to be more obsessed with power than doing whatever task she is supposed to do," I firmly pushed on what I needed to do.

"Is that right? Even if you are going to be wiped on the floor again if you try once more?"

"She might be a goddess but that doesn't mean she can interfere with the life of the people and toy them as she sees fit. I am going to end her even if it takes a long time to do so."

The Blacksmith glanced at me with a curious look in his eyes. I don't know if he was just sizing me up or if he was just finding a good way to make fun of my conviction.

"Hmmm, I can see that you are not trying to make yourself brave and have no motivation whatsoever. You are indeed willing to risk your life just to do the impossible and that is quite impressive. Well, if that is the case, it seems the time has come for you to complete the weapon you have and unleash its power."

"Huh? You mean my Versa- I mean, my Devourer?"

"Devourer huh? So that is now its name? Guess that is indeed the main case. And yes, the Devourer is what I am talking about. You are still missing the Weapon of Envy right?"

"Yes. That is the weapon that has been missing and I have no idea how to find it."

"Good. Since that weapon is actually in my possession."

He pulled out behind his back two guns and aimed it at me.

"However, I don't plan to give this weapon without any problems. I am not so charitable as to part ways with this weapon to you. If you want it, then you'll have to take it."

He then proceeded to start shooting me with bullets that caused me to be surprised and had to hide in a few rocks nearby.

"Wait! I don't have the Devourer with me! How the hell can I even fight back?!"

"Perhaps that is a skill issue, Manato. You should probably fix that."

He didn't stop shooting. And I never felt like he reloaded the gun. He keeps firing it like it has unlimited bullets. Not only that but the rock that I was hiding in is getting chipped to pieces in every shot.

I am now not sure what to do next. I do have the ability to fight using magic but that is limited and I can't fire them continuously. I am a sitting duck here and I am not liking it.

"What's wrong, young man? I thought you were ready to fight the Goddess of Life but if all you could do was hide behind a rock, that wouldn't kill the goddess at all."

BANG!

The whole rock that Manato was taking cover off breaks to pieces. As it breaks to pieces, I take this chance to use the debris from the rocks as a distraction and cover as I lunge myself to the blacksmith. He wasn't expecting my actions so when I jumped straight at him the two of us wrestled at each other.

The two of us are in a big mess as I try to take the guns in his hands while he prevents me from getting them. Before I could even have a good chance at grabbing both, he managed to find a good way to stop me kicked me in the abdomen, and sent me flying.

Because I am still injured, a single kick is enough for me to feel so bad about myself. It is so bad that I want to curl up in pain but that is not possible, especially with danger in just a few meters away.

Despite the struggle to get up, I didn't let my injuries weigh me down. Since I don't have the weapons in my hands, then my hands will be the weapon and even if it is a risky attempt, I will make sure to grab that weapon from him.

Clenching my fists, I ignited both of them into flames, ready to fight. I might not have an effective way to fight him with guns, but heck this unfair matchup, I will survive this.

"Huff...huff...Round two, old man!"

The blacksmith didn't hesitate and fired his gun multiple times in my direction. Because some of the bullets are not easy to dodge, instead of dodging them, I just decided to break them by firing the flames in my hands and the bullets, exploding and melting them in the process. It's not an ideal way to fight someone who can fire bullets but I need to do what I can.

I keep trying to move closer and closer as I dodge the bullets he fires but he is quite quick and dealing with him is not an easy task. The only way to do this is to brute force my way and ensure he will not be able to fight back by taking those guns away from him. Heck, even taking one of the guns is a good way to go as well.

"What's wrong? Why are you too slow now?"

"F*ck you!" I throw a fireball at him and he immediately dodges that fireball. However, as he dodges to the right, my fist is just on the other side, ready to welcome his face.

BANG!

I punched him hard and although the impact was not as strong as I would have hoped for, I landed a good enough time to stun him for a bit, allowing me to quickly kick away one of his guns and catch it.

I then aimed the gun that I got from him and he immediately aimed his remaining gun in my face as well. One thing that I realized is that the punch I did before, caused his hoodie to fall and reveal the face underneath it. Who would have thought that I would see someone who shouldn't be present in this world and someone I have only seen in the news and pictures on social media?

"Who would have thought that the main developer and the only person who does not appear in many public meetings would be the ancient blacksmith? Or are you just faking it and assuming that identity? Mr. Tojiro Akisame?"

He grinned and the gun made a "clack" sound, "How about you guess?"