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.

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“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…’