Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ]

Chapter 117 – Journey Continues.

“Gragh….”

“This has to be the last one, right?”

“ (  •̀-  •́  ) “

“It does look bigger than the others, it might be their leader!”

Rusty responded to Gleam as he looked at a rather enlarged rat. Both of them had been battling a small swarm of monster rodents while trying to get to the other side of this tunnel. He adjusted his grip on the poleaxe, his stance firm as he eyed the last remaining giant rat. It was larger than the others, nearly the size of a bear, with matted black fur and deep scars running along its body. Its beady red eyes locked onto him with a feral intensity, saliva dripping from its jagged teeth. This was no ordinary rat; it was stronger, more experienced - likely the alpha of the swarm.

However, this wasn’t their only problem, as behind them, a different scene was unfolding. Dozens of smaller rat bodies littered the ground, and beyond them, creatures from the forest had arrived - the same spiders they had encountered while searching for a body to possess. It seemed these monsters had been drawn either by the scent of battle or the cries of the rats as they fell.

Gleam leaped down from his shoulder, landing in front of two of the spiders. Her rank had risen to E, putting her on equal footing with them. Though her body was smaller, she had her armor and magical abilities to rely on.

“You’ll handle this? Are you sure?”

“ ( •̀ - •́ ) “

“I’m not doubting your skills, but… be careful.”

Rusty replied to the pouting Gleam, who seemed determined to prove herself. Two spiders stood before her, their legs twitching as they circled warily. Rusty knew she had grown stronger, but these creatures weren’t pushovers. Still, she had proven herself time and time again, so he nodded and turned his focus back to the rat alpha.

“I’ll give you an opening Gleam, so use it!”

“ ( ｡•̀ ᵕ •́｡ ) ”

With those words, he activated his newest skill - Basic Terror Aura. A strange dark mist encased his body, tendrils of shadow lashing out from his twilight steel frame. A heavy, oppressive force filled the tunnel, radiating outward in all directions. The rat alpha remained unaffected due to its high level and E-plus ranking, but the smaller spiders hesitated. Their legs trembled as they remained rooted in place, paralyzed by fear.

Unaffected by the aura, Gleam seized the opportunity. She surged forward, her small form a blur as she darted between the spiders, striking with pinpoint precision. Her mandibles snapped at the first spider’s legs, forcing it to reel back, while a swift mana bolt sent the second skidding across the stone floor.

Rusty had no time to check on her battle. The massive rodent let out a guttural growl, its claws scraping against the stone as it lunged at him. He stepped to the side, bringing his poleaxe down in a sharp arc. The blade bit into the rat’s thick hide, but the wound wasn’t deep enough to end the fight. The beast shrieked in pain, twisting its body and retaliating with a powerful swipe.

He raised his shield just in time, absorbing the impact. The force sent vibrations through his arm, but his new Twilight Steel body held firm. With a sharp counter, he drove the axe end of his weapon into the rat’s skull, staggering it momentarily. However, the thick layer of fur and hide prevented a fatal blow.

From the corner of his eye, he kept track of his companion. Gleam, though much smaller than the spiders, used her size to her advantage. She darted around, climbed the walls, and harassed her foes with precise magical attacks. The spiders, struggling to keep up, were already missing multiple legs. One let out a piercing screech as she landed a direct hit to its eye, forcing it to reel back in pain. It seemed she was beginning to refine her magical prowess - lowering her MP consumption while maximizing critical strikes.

Rusty took another step forward, his poleaxe held firmly in his grip. The rat alpha’s breathing had grown ragged, its body hunched over as it struggled to keep up. Even as a formidable opponent, it was no match for his newly enhanced form. With its beady red eyes filled with desperate rage, the beast lunged once more.

This time, Rusty was ready. With a swift, fluid motion, he pivoted to the side and brought his weapon down with all his strength. The poleaxe cleaved through flesh and bone, its enchanted edge glowing with fire energy as it sliced straight through the rat’s neck. A final shriek echoed through the tunnel before the monster collapsed, its massive form twitching before falling still. A moment later, a system notification appeared before him.

If he had lungs, this would be the moment to exhale in relaxation. Instead, he turned his attention to Gleam who was about to finish her battle. She had successfully taken down one of the spiders, its body twitching as it lay in a pool of its own fluids. The remaining spider hissed, rearing back in a desperate attempt to strike, but Gleam was too fast. With a final bolt of mana-infused energy, she struck it square in the head, causing it to crumble.

“Great going Gleam, I think that was all of them!”

Gleam jumped back to Rusty’s shoulder, her mandibles clicking in excitement.

“( ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ )”

“Yeah, you did great.”

Rusty chuckled as he looked at all the defeated monsters. This large pack allowed him to reach level three already and he also was able to test out his new and improved body. The steel was somewhat more resistant than the iron he was composed of previously and even when the rats bit into it, they could not leave a mark behind. 

Now that the battle was over, Rusty took a moment to scan their surroundings. The tunnel was still illuminated by the torches lining the walls, their flickering light casting eerie shadows. The battle had been loud - perhaps too loud. If these creatures had heard them, then others might have as well.

“We should move. Those spiders are far more dangerous than the rats.” 

Alexander said, breaking the silence as he scanned their surroundings. They had spent a good twenty minutes pushing forward, battling the rodents and likely drawing the attention of the spider monsters. Now that the large undead spider was gone, nothing was stopping them from swarming in. It was clear that their best option was to keep moving through the tunnel and see what lay on the other side.

“You’re right. My evolution took a whole day, so those spiders might be swarming those caves now. Let’s go, Gleam.”

“ (˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) “

With one last glance at the defeated foes, Rusty pressed forward. His poleaxe had lost some of its magical glow, and he made a mental note not to use the enchantment unless facing a particularly strong opponent or at least until he figured out how to restore it. While he couldn’t do it himself for now, he was certain there were craftsmen who could repair it, somewhere.

‘I wonder how I would fare against that undead spider now…’

If given the chance to enter the Soul Forge again and face the undead spider, he would. During his time there, he’d tried to test his steel weaponry, but had been bested when attempting to exchange blows. Without the radiant energies he could produce, there was no way to defeat it, though the steel weapons had been sharp enough to cut into its flesh. Now, with his increased stats, he was certain he could defeat the creature - even if he was still only an E-rank monster.

Gleam remained perched on his shoulder, her antennae twitching at every small sound. Rusty took cautious steps forward, his steel-plated feet making faint clinks against the stone. The deeper they went, the thicker the air became with the scent of damp earth and decay. Behind him, faint echoes of monsters stirred - perhaps ones now feasting on the dead rats and spiders they had left behind.

The tunnel stretched on, wide and well-lit, with markings on the ground resembling wheel tracks. Though partially buried under dust and dirt, it was clear this route had been used before. Their journey remained largely uneventful for several hours, encountering only a few small rodents that posed no real threat. Finally, as they rounded a bend, the passageway opened into a large cavernous chamber - one that looked more like a naturally formed cave.

"It seems this is where the tunnel began. The exit should be near." 

Aburdon remarked. Just like at the entrance, the tunnel had started as a natural cave before being further excavated and expanded. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, and the air was thick with moisture. Small streams of water trickled down the rocky walls, forming shallow pools that reflected the faint glow of luminous moss clinging to the stones. It was a stark contrast to the constructed tunnel they had just left behind.

“No one has been here for years…”

Alexander noted as his light brightened the path before them.

“There must be an exit nearby, probably hidden like the other tunnel we just need to find it, look for another coin slot.”

There were no monsters waiting for them here, but it was also a dead end. After searching for a moment, Rusty found a mechanism with a lever instead of a coin slot. He yanked on it a few times until it finally activated, causing a new path to form. As the tunnel opened, a sudden gust of wind rushed through, nearly knocking Gleam off his shoulder. She had to cling to him with all her might to keep from being swept away.

“ (  •̀ - •́  ) “

The gears within the stone walls groaned in protest as Rusty pulled the lever. Dust cascaded from the ceiling as the mechanism slowly engaged. Then, with a loud click, the wall before them began to shift. A section of rock receded, revealing a narrow passageway that led into darkness. A cool breeze drifted through, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth.

“This must be it! The exit.”

Gleam chittered in agreement, her antennae twitching as she sensed the fresh air. With a final glance at the cavern they were leaving behind, Rusty led the duo forward. The passage was wide enough for one carriage to slip by. The stone walls bore signs of erosion, with roots snaking their way through the cracks, hinting at the forest that lay beyond.

After a short walk, the passageway widened before sloping upward. Light peeked through a jagged opening ahead. Rusty pressed onward, and soon they emerged into the outside world. Their adventure through the caverns and the spider-infested forest had finally come to an end.

Before them stretched a sparse forest, bathed in the soft glow of the late afternoon sun. It was a stark contrast to the shadowy woodland they had left behind - here, the canopy was thinner, allowing sunlight to filter through with ease. In the distance, the cheerful sounds of chirping birds and rustling deer filled the air. It was clear this place was free of monstrosities; after all, ordinary wildlife would not be so lively in the presence of such threats.

"I think we made it… but where are we, exactly?" 

Alexander asked the group. Realistically, though, only one person here was likely to have the answer.

"If you ask me… we might not be far from our destination, my dear Rusty. How about we head there? I have a good feeling about this." 

Aburdon replied, his black light glowing faintly in Rusty's left eye socket.

"Just watch your step - we may encounter some of the intelligent races here but perhaps we could secure you a second body if we did…"

“We will ‘secure’ it in a different way, stop giving him bad ideas Aburdon.”

“It’s still better than wasting our time with corpses.”

Rusty nodded and immediately switched to one of his alternate loadouts, transforming into his adventurer armor. This version had been upgraded with twilight steel, far superior to his standard set. His survival was the priority, after all.

Gleam assisted by casting a silencing spell, and together, they moved forward cautiously, keeping their guard up. If any adventurers spotted a living armor monster wandering through the forest, they certainly wouldn’t just let him pass without question.

Once he had settled on his equipment, he continued on his way with Gleam still perched on his shoulder. As long as people thought that he was an adventurer then his ant friend would just be seen as a tamed monster. Soon, after passing through several trees and bushes they arrived at a clearing. There he saw something in the distance, a dirt road along with a crooked signpost. The carver letters were worn, but one direction was unmistakably marked with a faded inscription that read something like ‘Ferndale…’ followed by an arrow pointing left, while another arrow pointed right toward another city.

“Ferndale… That’s the settlement we were aiming for right?”

"I'm glad you remembered! I hope you realize we only made it here thanks to my impeccable pathfinding skills!"

Aburdon cackled within Rusty's left eye socket, clearly proud of his accomplishment. While the tunnel they had taken was unexpected, their original plan had been to cross the forest and reach the road leading to Ferndale. Rusty ignored his companion's boasting, instead recalling what he had heard about the settlement.

Ferndale was said to be in a promising yet dangerous region. It lay near lands swarming with orc tribes and barbarian clans, making it a risky place to settle. The dungeon there was unexplored and treacherous. However, for someone like Rusty - who sought to grow stronger such turmoil was an opportunity. He did not need food or sleep; he could hunt endlessly, waiting for the right moment to strike.

The only real challenge was securing a safe place to return to. If he had not discovered that crystal cave where he had taken Gleam, he might not have even made it this far. Now, all that remained was to continue trekking toward Ferndale.

"How far is it from here?" 

"Shouldn't be too far. At your pace, we should reach it in a few days… that is, if nothing stops us along the way."

They all turned their gazes toward the road stretching into the distance. Above them, dark clouds gathered - storm winds howling in the direction they were heading.

“Maybe you should get inside of my armor, Gleam…”