Chapter 180 – Silvery Evolution.

“Now that we have some time, can we talk about that?”

“By that, what do you mean?”

“I mean, when you attacked that adventurer. You seemed to lose control, and your body even began to change.”

“I… I don’t know. It felt like something inside me snapped, as if the rage did not even belong to me. I was not thinking. I only wanted to crush him, to make him feel everything Gleam had felt.”

Rusty replied to Alexander with a shrug, a gesture he had picked up from watching the humanoids in the city. In truth, he did not really know what had happened. It felt as if everything turned red, and his emotions slipped beyond his control. All he could think about was destroying the person before him, and he focused only on that.

“It felt rather stimulating, don’t you think? Like a relief. Why not lose yourself more often?”

Aburdon let out a low cackle. He was far less troubled by the matter than Alexander and, instead of warning Rusty, he encouraged him to repeat it.

“It did? I don’t remember it feeling good. I only remember not feeling like myself.”

“Do not listen to his words, Rusty. He only wishes to use you.”

“Use me? Are you really Aburdon?”

“Me? Use you? No, of course not. Where would you get such an idea?”

For a moment, Rusty considered ordering Aburdon to reveal his true intentions, but he already had a good idea of what they were. This guide wanted freedom. He urged Rusty to place him inside one of the living armors, hoping to escape his current form. It was clear that the demon lord wished to go his own way.

Rusty did not view this as a problem. Perhaps in the future, he would grant the two guides their freedom. For now, however, until he reached a higher form of being, he intended to keep using them to help him navigate the human settlement.

“I don’t believe you.”

“My intentions are nothing but pure.”

Aburdon cackled, his voice stretching unnaturally as if mocking the very word.

“Pure evil.”

Alexander muttered right after as he interjected.

“Quiet, both of you.”

Rusty finally grew annoyed enough to silence them. He rose from his lookout spot and began making his way back to where his friend was. The dungeon around them remained filled with dangers, and his friend was in the middle of a transformation that left her unable to move. Rusty had to stay close and watch over her.

Not far from their position stood a metal chest, shaped much like the kind found in ordinary homes. A radiant glow seeped from its edges, and inside rested Gleam. He had placed her there, unwilling to let her touch the dungeon floor, yet just as unwilling to keep her within his own body. If a battle broke out, she might be injured while he moved.

“It has been a few hours already. How much longer is this going to take?”

Rusty paced back and forth, the light from the chest casting his shadow against the cavern walls. His steps did not echo, as he had been practicing his own spells. He was now capable of surrounding himself with a bubble of silence, which allowed him to stay hidden while listening for anyone who might try to approach from afar.

‘I might as well look through the loot while I’m here.’

He was still restless after what had happened to Gleam. Her legs had been torn apart by a rain of arrows, and he was already wondering if he should expand her armor to cover them. It would not be an easy feat, since ant legs were very different from human fingers or limbs, but he was certain that if he put his mind to it, he would be able to succeed.

The reset timer on the soul forge was nearly finished. Once inside, he could either concentrate on his new design or, more realistically, recharge the enchantments on his lightning halberd. He might also attempt to recreate some of the enchantments he had asked Aburdon to remember. With the help of his guides, he had already gathered several from the store, and inside the soul forge he would likely be able to inscribe them onto one of his weapons.

In his inventory lay the spoils from his D-rank adventures. The money amounted to nearly ten gold coins, which he could invest in his smithy project. His lair was in poor condition, and repairing the collapsed roof along with sealing the leaking holes would be a good place to start. He could also purchase materials that would aid him in forging and enchantment, ones durable enough to withstand mana-rich metals like the ore he had recently uncovered.

The ore he had mined from the dungeon could be refined into enchanted steel, but that was only the beginning. By combining it with other metals, he could create different alloys, some more resistant to mana, others better suited to withstand physical blows. The world of crafting was opening before him, and every resource he had gathered would help him master it.

He was also left with several other items, such as the archer’s bow and the rogue’s daggers. Each carried a minor enchantment that could prove dangerous if mishandled. The axe once wielded by the man he had beaten to death was especially distinctive. If he began using it, other adventurers might recognize the weapon and link him to the party’s demise.

Few people in the region were capable of defeating an entire group of D-rank adventurers, and while he was newly ranked and unlikely to be suspected, caution was a requirement. Rather than risk exposure, he would need to sell these weapons or melt them down for parts.

‘There is no thieves guild in this city, best to not push my luck.’

Once he made up his mind, he settled back into waiting. The glow inside the chest grew stronger, and for a moment he considered covering it with cloth. He abandoned the idea, worried that Gleam might suffocate without air. Fortunately, Aburdon’s map-reading skills had proven reliable, and this dead end contained nothing of value. No adventurers wandered near, and after a few more hours, the light began to fade. The transformation was complete.

“Gleam? Can you hear me, Gleam?”

The glow dimmed until only faint wisps of mana curled upward like smoke. Rusty lifted the lid with care, half-afraid of what he might find inside. His metal hands trembled from anticipation and fear that she might still be missing her limbs. At first, there was only silence. Then, a faint chittering sound echoed from the chest.

“ ( – ‸ – ) ”

Rusty froze, his gaze fixed on the figure inside. Gleam had changed, and she seemed a little dazed. Her carapace gleamed brighter than ever, polished like silver, every line sleek and reinforced. She even looked slightly larger than before. Most striking of all, her legs were whole again. Six slender limbs flexed and tapped against the chest as if testing themselves for the very first time.

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“Your legs!”

Rusty nearly stumbled forward but caught himself against the metal chest.

“They’re back!”

Gleam skittered out with surprising grace. Her movements had changed too, smoother and more precise. After hopping clear of the chest, she carefully tested her weight on the new legs. At first she hesitated, but within moments she was moving with confidence, spinning into the familiar dance steps that had grown even more elegant than before.

“( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ )”

“See? There was nothing to worry about.”

Alexander said as he watched her dance.

“Yeah, but still… we need to make sure this never happens again.”

Rusty watched as Gleam hopped and skittered about. Her wings had grown larger and carried a sharp edge. When she stretched them open, the silver shimmer along their tips sliced a thin line into the stone wall with nothing more than a light touch.

“Those must be sharp.”

Rusty remarked, and Gleam smiled.

“(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)”

“Please be careful with them around the children, Gleam.”

Alexander added, but this made the little ant frown.

“( •̀ ᴖ •́ )”

“She knows. You don’t need to remind her. Gleam is very responsible!”

“( •̀ ᴗ •́ )و”

Rusty said, trying to ease her mood. Gleam soon clambered onto his shoulder. Though she had been growing steadily, her size had not increased all that much. The biggest change was in her shine. With every transformation she looked more and more like polished silver, and Rusty couldn’t help but wonder if she might eventually become some kind of living armor creature.

Perched on his shoulder, Gleam lifted herself briefly into the air. Her body balanced perfectly on her new limbs as she leapt into a midair twirl, landing with a soft clack of her feet. Rusty could only clap at the display of agility, then found himself glancing over her stats.

Name:

Gleam

Classification:

Small Silverwing Magical Gleaming Ant [ E+ ] L1 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]chapter180#heavymetal[amonsterevolutionlitrpg]chapter181#heavymetal[amonsterevolutionlitrpg]chapter182#heavymetal[amonsterevolutionlitrpg]latestchapter#heavymetal[amonsterevolutionlitrpg]readonline 0 chapter views Related Novels Ashes Beneath the Heavenly Mill The Hospital Dungeon - A Dungeon Core Story Vows Beneath Black Water Gravebound Tutorial 0 Comments You must be logged in to comment. Bookmark Quote TTS Link Play Pause Stop Skip Scroll Settings Note DMCATermsPrivacyContact 0 online