Versatile: Alternate World

I didn't forget to equip the item I made. It was an item that can resist the effects of an area by 50%, allowing me to be able to walk properly. A ring imbued with slight dark ability. I have someone who has the ability to use the dark element which is Atlas so I easily managed to make one that can resist things much easier. The moment I equipped the item, the pressure that I felt disappeared meaning it was the actual thing I can use here. This will be a big help in the future.

The defense of the laboratory is pretty lax. Probably because they are not expecting any people to intrude on their secret laboratory due to the fact that angels don't care about the ruins so they will overlook it which made them confident the laboratory will not be discovered at all. But that is their biggest mistake. They underestimate a player's mind and thought that no adventurer will ever care about these ruins.

However, that is a big plus for me. Not only that made finding the secret bases easier, but I can also easily predict what they are going to do next.

I got deeper into the ruins. It looks plain and abandoned but there is a hidden ladder that leads to the underground part of the laboratory. After checking around, I found it hidden behind the pillars. Any decent explorer would easily find this place without any problem especially if they are looking for chests to open.

Before I descend, I checked if there are any traps or enemies below by dropping a coin down the hole. It's metal and will make a noise if it lands on the ground, perfect as a trigger to any traps. I dropped the coin and waited for any kind of incident that may occur after the coin reaches the ground.

CLANG!

The coin bounces to the floor, creating a little sound of clang that would make anyone turn to look and check what it was. I hid and waited if there are anyone or anything that would check it but I waited for nothing because no one or nothing came to check on it.

I dropped another coin just to make sure, but still nothing. No traps either so that calls for safe. I descended the ladder and aims my Pain Delivery forward, ready to pull the trigger anytime in case anyone was actually doing an ambush at me but there is no one there, leaving me to pick back the coins I dropped.

Below the ladder is a hallway that ends in a turn. There are shadows moving reflected on the wall. But because it was a bit obscure, I can only tell it was moving but I cannot tell whether the owner of the shadow is a human or not.

Since this is before the second monster invasion, I don't know whether there are already monsters here or they have yet to become one and are still angels and are still working or researching about the scourge. There are possibilities here and there but the only thing we can do to confirm is testing it out and check what the heck is currently moving at the end of the hallway.

In case of emergency, I decided to place different traps in the hallway where I came from. Of course, not the explosive one as that would be bad news for me in case the explosion will cause a cave-in and escaping will be impossible unless I clear out the rubble. I made sure to only put traps that would deal damage to the enemy and can stall or stop anyone who escapes. Once the traps are deployed, I resumed heading straight to the location of the moving shadows.

While walking, I made sure that I make my steps as quiet as possible. Every time the shadow stops moving, I also stopped moving and waited. Once it moves again, I am back on the move.

I repeated those movements until I am now at the end of the hallway, one single turn and I will see whatever was moving there. Peeking into the corner, it was revealed to me that they are researchers in this laboratory. They are both angels and the last people you will see in the ruins are angels so it is clear that the guys behind this are none other than the cult themselves.

Instead of shooting the gun, I decided to kill them close. They are busy gambling and are pretty distracted so there is no need to worry about them. I changed the form of my Versatile Weapon and changed its form to Katana form. I have not used the katana for a long time but I don't know if this will still work therefore, I will have to test it out here.

Activate the [Stealth] mode, then slowly approach. They still didn't realize my presence here so I didn't hold back and sliced the researchers before me.

SWISH!

One swift cut and the two clueless scientists immediately died with their heads missing from their necks.

"Alright, next..."

...

...

...

30 minutes later, the laboratory is now much quieter when most of their workers are dead, most have their heads lopped off and some are divided into two pieces. Because they are viewed as hostile individuals, killing them doesn't have any penalties. I continue to kill them until the very last one is gone and no one is left behind to fight so that my exploration will be unimpeded by any of the scientists and if I cause a ruckus, no one would alert the people on the main base that would alert the heck out of them and unleash the problem that I am trying to avoid.

After making a few rounds around, I am now sure no one else other than me is remaining alive as everyone else is dead.

"Alright. Lucia, can you feel anything unusual?"

"It's pretty faint, but it is indeed there, Master. I think you will have to manually search the place to find the source of that."

"Is that so? Then there is no other choice but to search this place up."

The one that I am looking for is the dark core. It is also the item that would curse me while it is in my possession. Why would I take this item? Because it cannot be destroyed and it is a vital item to summon the first boss of the first phase of the Expedition. It is the necessary item if we wanted the expedition to properly end and move to the second phase.

And when I say cursed, you will automatically attract all of the enemies in your vicinity. Collecting all of them will increase the area it can attract monsters and it will trigger the ultimate taunt that even the area bosses that should remain stationary in the area will also be attracted to the core. And I am not exaggerating as this will be a very troublesome thing that I needed to properly take action.

There aren't any big cases that could hide the thing and it took me a few hours before the Dark Core is found. I didn't hesitate and took the core out of the container and as I do so, the dark matter suddenly rushes through the core and a message appeared before me.

[The Dark Core is currently in your possession. As long as it is in your possession, the monsters around the vicinity of 50km will come and attack you. The effects will only disappear if the Dark Core is removed from your possession.]

I underestimated the size of the Dark Core's influence. 50 kilometers is very big and if that increases, that also means it will be a big radar that taunts every single monster all over the place.  Then there is no time to waste.

The moment I have it already in my inventory, I immediately escaped from the ruins. I didn't care about the loot around me nor do I care about anything else. I have to escape and that is all that matters. The moment I escaped the ruins, nearby monsters immediately jumped toward me and started attacking. I am prepared for the attacks so I defended myself and continue my search for the second secret base.

What I am doing now, is just similar to diving my head first to danger. This is what I expected but this is not how I envisioned it. Perhaps because I am doing this right while the enemies have yet to know it might be the main reason this might kill me in the process.

"Master! If you are having difficulty, just say so and we will lend our aid. Enemies like these guys are nothing to us!" Lucia proudly declared.

"I know guys. Thanks, but this time, I wanted to try and see how far I can go without the help of everyone. I will have to test the limits of my abilities."

Alright, time to wreck more secret bases.