Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ]
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.

Her name had likely become even more complicated, as was typical after a monster’s evolution, but the important part was clear. Gleam had reached the next stage and become an E-rank monster. 

Back when he had been fighting the Orcs and clearing out their camp, she had already hit level fifteen, the cap for her previous form. They hadn’t had time to focus on her growth then. The warchief’s sudden arrival had forced them to flee before they could process the situation.

“You did great, Gleam. I would have never made it out in one piece without you!”

“ (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) “

He could tell by her MP and SP levels that she was completely drained. Thankfully, her health hadn’t dropped much, which was the most important thing. They were also fortunate to have landed in a patch of forest that still had some trees. If they had flown any farther, they would have crashed into a barren stretch of flat grass and dry soil, with nothing to soften the impact.

“ (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) ”

“Oh, that happened?”

As Rusty examined some of the new skills Gleam had gained, he felt her light frame settle on his shoulder. He shifted out of his heavy armored form and returned to one of his smaller variants, the one that resembled a human adventurer. Now that they were out of the orc-infested woods and past the barbarian-held mountains, they were getting closer to Ferndale. With regular humans likely to appear soon, it was safer to avoid using his full monster form.

“You climbed into a big tree and decided to evolve in it? That was too dangerous, Gleam!”

“ ( • ᴖ • ) “

While talking, he discovered what had transpired after they got separated. She had run. Fast. The moment they were split during the orc ambush, Gleam didn't hesitate. Her small, ground-bound body darted between roots and branches, ducking low to avoid attention. But the Orcs didn't follow. Their attention had been solely on Rusty and the chaos he’d caused in their ranks.

Eventually, Gleam came upon a massive, hollow tree deep within the forest. Its bark was scorched and split by lightning, and its age showed in the thick, twisted roots and the wide trunk. The opening at the base was narrow but led into a deep interior, far larger than a typical burrow. Inside, the scent of damp earth and sap filled the space, perfect for masking her presence if anyone came looking.

She had found an abandoned shelter, one with no signs of a current inhabitant. At first, she had planned to return to the city, just like Rusty had told her. But she had seen the path of his elemental jump. He had flown in a completely different direction, far too distant for her to follow.

While she did panic, a realization arrived. Her level had increased. If she could not reach him directly, the next best thing was to grow stronger. That way, she could be of use when it mattered most.

"And that’s how you got your wings?"

" (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) "

"Sometimes a monster's evolution is influenced by emotion.”

Aburdon said, appearing with a shimmer of black light as Rusty summoned both of his guides. 

"It seems that Gleam wanted to reach you so badly, her body responded by giving her the power of flight. Monsters are truly fascinating, aren’t they? The peculiar issue here is how she managed to evolve without your permission, quite fascinating, perhaps it was due to the distance and strong emotions?“

It was quite the question, but he didn't really care how it happened. If Rusty had a face, he would be smiling. His friend was back on his shoulder, and though her wings were now hidden, she radiated a new kind of strength. He could have spent more time reviewing her skills, but curiosity pulled his attention elsewhere. He checked his own progress and was surprised by what he saw.

"Just one more level to go..."

"Not even a full level.”

Said Alexander, who appeared to interrupt Aburdon as he was about to talk again.

"Might as well hunt a few stray monsters on the way back to that city, we should see how those kids are doing.”

“Ah yes, those four brats. Are we really going to keep feeding them?”

Rusty didn’t respond to Aburdon. Instead, he set out toward the city, choosing a more scenic route through the forest. Along the way, he encountered small groups of monsters and the occasional stray orc. He took his time, picking his battles carefully. He wanted to reach the level cap before returning. Once he was back in the city, he would finally be eligible to advance comfortably to D-rank.

It was now midday, and the chaos of last night’s battle, along with his frantic escape that morning, felt strangely distant. Rusty had gained more than just experience from this adventure. He had learned much about the political undercurrents in the region. The barbarians were not the simple villains everyone made them out to be, and there was something deeper at play. One of the nobles inside the city appeared to have a connection to his guide, Alexander, something Rusty wasn’t sure if he should ignore. 

Nevertheless, Rusty knew he needed to become stronger before taking on someone as influential as a city lord. Individuals like that mercenary leader were still out there and could cause problems if they discovered he was responsible for the destruction of their headquarters.

He continued his journey toward the city. The return was not as intense as the battles with the Orcs or the escape from the barbarian settlement. Along the way, he encountered a few monsters: packs of wolves, a cave with goblins, and other creatures that had no idea how to deal with the combination of an armored warrior and an insect companion. By the end of the day, the city finally came into view. His level had reached fifteen, and he was now ready to move forward and claim the title of D-rank adventurer.

“Who goes there!”

Just as he approached the gate, he was halted by the voice that he recalled. 

“Oh… It’s that, mister! He was alive!”

To his surprise, it wasn’t a city guard waiting for him, but the young adventurers he had fought alongside during the battle. They were out in the field, repairing the wooden palisade that had done little to stop the charging Orcs. The city guards, meanwhile, stood safely atop the walls. The gates were shut, and no other residents were coming or going.

“You… you’re alive, everyone thought an Orc took you away!”

Oliver was the first to reach him. The young man, who had looked terrified during the battle, now seemed a little more composed. His friends, Rika and Tally, followed close behind. There was a strange look in their eyes, which Alexander quickly explained.

“They’re probably grateful you saved them.”

“I saved them?”

Rusty didn’t remember helping anyone. All he had done was tell the young adventurers to stay out of his way so he could earn more experience points. But to this trio, his actions must have seemed noble, perhaps even life-saving.

“Ah… yes! One of them yanked me away, but I managed to get free.”

Not wanting to raise suspicion, Rusty decided to lie to Oliver. It was better if these humanoids didn’t know he had gone after the monsters alone once the battle had ended. Rusty brushed the dust from his shoulder and offered the group a small nod, doing his best to mimic the casual confidence he had seen in human adventurers.

“Glad to see you all made it.. Mr Edmund!”

Now it was one of the girls, Tally. Somehow, they knew his name, or at least the name of the identity he was using as an adventurer. He wanted to ask how they’d found out, but before he could say anything, a shout rang out from the distance.

“You there, adventurer Edmund!”

It was a city guard, the same one who had served as their commanding officer during the siege. He had finally noticed Rusty’s sudden reappearance and clearly wanted to know where he had come from. The city still appeared to be under lockdown, with perhaps only some scouts venturing outside.

“They probably think you’ve got information about the Orcs, Rusty. Best stick with that excuse.”

“Alright.”

Rusty responded to Alexander, though after his encounter with the witch doctor, he was no longer certain their conversations were as private as he had once believed. Still, this was a convenient excuse to distance himself from the three young adventurers. With a brief nod, he excused himself and headed toward the approaching guard.

He had no desire to linger longer than necessary but was willing to share the truth about the Orcs. Once back at his home, he would finally attempt his new evolution. He wondered what kind of metal his body would take on next and hoped that, this time, he might finally gain the ability to cast spells.