Heavy Metal

Chapter 119 - 117 – Journey Continues.

"Gragh…."

"This has to be the last one, right?"

" ( •̀ - •́ ) "

"It does look bigger than the others, it might be their leader!" Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire

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

" ( •̀ - •́ ) "

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…"