Chapter 148 – Silver Wings.

Gleam zipped past the treetops like a streak of lightning dipped in moonlight, her new wings cutting the air like a razor. She looped once overhead, then dove toward Rusty, her antennae twitching as she locked onto his position. Shouts from the barbarians echoed behind him, but their voices were meaningless to her. Her only mission was to save her friend.

“ ( •̀ ᵕ •́ ) ”

“You want me to get on?”

Rusty called out, hearing her familiar chirp in the distance. Though she was still far away, he understood her intent immediately. In his current form, he was smaller than her and small enough to ride on her back like a jockey on a racehorse. He hesitated for a heartbeat. Then the angry cries of the approaching humanoids snapped him into motion.

With a leap, he landed squarely on her armored thorax, a faint clank marking his arrival. Gleam’s silvery exoskeleton flexed to absorb his weight, and with a powerful surge of her wings, they lifted off just as a volley of arrows hissed through the space where he’d stood moments before.

“What kind of creature…”

The witch doctor froze, her eyes wide as sunlight reflected off Gleam’s silver body. The other barbarians didn’t stop. They threw spears, axes, and anything else they could grab, but nothing came close.

Gleam moved with impossible grace, twisting and dipping through the air. Her wings carried her in sharp, fluid arcs that seemed to ignore the laws of gravity. She climbed higher, weaving through the flurry of weapons, then soared beyond their reach. Rusty clung to her back as the wind howled past him. Below, the warriors’ angry shouts faded, their figures shrinking into the green of the mountain forest.

“ ( •̀ ᗜ •́ ) “

“Yes, we did it. I think we’re out of their range. Not even arrows can reach us now.”

Rusty clung tightly to Gleam’s back, his miniature form nestled securely between her wings. The wind rushed past as the world below dropped away. Mountains stretched out in front of them like a painted tapestry. He watched the barbarian camp disappear into the distance, the once-terrifying mob now reduced to tiny specks.

‘It all looks so small…’

“ ( – ⌓ – ) “

His moment of awe was cut short by Gleam’s soft sigh. Suddenly, they began descending, and fast.

“Gleam, what’s wrong?”

“ (ᵕ–ᴗ–) “

“You’ve used up all your magic and stamina to get here?”

Their escape, it seemed, would not last. Though Gleam had evolved and gained the ability to fly, it clearly had its limits. Her wings stopped beating, and the air around them turned silent. With no energy left to keep them aloft, they began to drop like a stone.

They plummeted from the sky, and the trees below grew sparse. Rusty knew his metal body could withstand the impact, but he wasn’t sure what would happen to his partner if he did nothing. Without hesitation, his tiny form expanded in an instant. Plates of armor snapped into place, his limbs thickened, and his core flared with power as he shifted into his largest and heaviest form. This frame was built not for speed or stealth but for pure defense.

While still in freefall, he twisted his body, making sure his back would take the brunt of the impact against the few trees waiting below. He wrapped his arms around Gleam, lifting her carefully to shield her from the descent.

Branches struck like whips as they fell, snapping and splintering against his armored frame. Bark scraped along his plating with an awful screech, but he held firm. The wood here was nothing special, and his twilight steel did its job. By adjusting his arms and positioning as they dropped, he absorbed the worst of the impact, slowing their fall as much as possible and keeping Gleam protected in his grasp.

They crashed through the final layer of branches with a thunderous crack. Rusty’s armored back hit the ground hard, leaving a shallow dent in his plating. One of his large arms remained outstretched, cradling Gleam protectively. She was alive, and so was he.

A cloud of leaves and dust swirled around them as they came to a stop, half-buried in a crater carved into the floor. For a long moment, everything was still. Then, with a low metalic groan, Rusty shifted. He pushed himself up slowly and gently placed Gleam on the ground.

” ( ._. ) “

Gleam’s antennae twitched faintly as she looked up at him. She was dazed but unharmed. He, on the other hand, was covered in dirt and broken branches. His frame was scratched and dented, but his core remained intact. That was all that mattered.

“I’m fine. Just a little beat up.”

Rusty glanced at Gleam and noticed something different about her. On her back, a pair of wings had fully retracted into her body, disappearing beneath smooth plates of silver chitin. The process was strange and mesmerizing, and with a single look, he understood—she had evolved.

Name:	Gleam
Classification:	Small Flying Silvery Magical Gleaming Ant [ E ] L1
Type:	Insectoid
Hit Points [ HP ]	140/150
Magic Points [MP]	14/260
Stamina Points [SP]	11/160
Strength	41[ E – ]
Agility	69 [ E ]
Dexterity	58 [ E ]
Constitution	49 [ E – ]
Intelligence This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.	85 [ E ]
Wisdom	80 [ E ]
Willpower	65 [ E ]
Durability	E – Continue Reading You are reading a free preview (50%). Log in to unlock the full chapter and join comments. Log In to UnlockCreate Account Related chapter tags #heavymetal[amonsterevolutionlitrpg]chapter148#heavymetal[amonsterevolutionlitrpg]chapter149#heavymetal[amonsterevolutionlitrpg]chapter150#heavymetal[amonsterevolutionlitrpg]latestchapter#heavymetal[amonsterevolutionlitrpg]readonline 0 chapter views Related Novels Skyward Ascension [Progression LitRPG Apocalypse] Chaotic Craftsman Worships The Cube Vows Beneath Blackwater Hall Wearing Power Armor to a Magic School (165/?) 0 Comments You must be logged in to comment. Bookmark Quote TTS Link Play Pause Stop Skip Scroll Settings Note DMCATermsPrivacyContact 0 online