Heavy Metal

Rusty stopped mid-step when his visor caught a faint ripple of mana in the air. The silence felt unnatural. Normally, his steps would echo faintly against the wet stone, yet now the sound was muffled by something. It seemed to be a spell similar to Gleam's or perhaps some kind of skill, although it felt different.

"Seven."

Aburdon's dark glow flickered in his left eyesocket.

"Four wolves, three lambs. The outcome is obvious. There is no reason to get ourselves involved. It is better to take another route or wait for them to pass. Let us be on our way before they spot us."

The demon lord, as always, had no desire to concern himself with the business of others. Alexander, however, said the exact opposite.

"We can't just go back!"

"Oh? And what would you like us to do, hero? Should we swoop in and save the day? Better yet, why don't we walk right up to them and ask nicely? I am sure that will work."

Aburdon mocked Alexander's idea, and Rusty found himself somewhat agreeing. He was not eager to put himself at risk for strangers. Yet in his metallic eyes, the situation also looked like an opportunity. Normally, he avoided dealing with adventurers, since they carried danger and baggage in equal measure. But if they were fighting among themselves, there was a chance he could profit from the conflict.

"Gleam, cast the silence spell as well. We will move in."

"(„• ֊ •„)੭"

"…You cannot be serious, Rusty. Are you going to play the hero now?"

Aburdon was clearly irritated by the plan, but Rusty at least wanted to see what they were dealing with. If these adventurers were the type who attacked others, it might be better to eliminate them sooner rather than later. Doing so would also give him a lawful excuse to kill them. The Guild rewarded those who brought such people to justice, since allowing rogue adventurers to roam freely made the organization look weak.

"Not really. I just want to see who is there."

"Are you sure? What if they discover us?"

"Then we will just run away."

Rusty was confident enough in his skills. As long as he was not facing a C-rank monster, he believed he could handle the situation. Still, he had grown more cautious since emerging from the dungeon. He understood the risks he was taking. The sound barrier surrounding the chamber was clearly meant to keep outsiders from noticing what was happening inside, and whoever had set it up surely knew that other adventurers might wander in at any moment. It was best to remain hidden, and Rusty knew the most effective way to sneak in.

"Gleam, we will approach from above. Get ready."

"( ╹ -╹)?"

She did not seem to understand at first, but realization came quickly. Rusty activated one of his loadouts and his body began to shrink. Within moments, he was smaller than even a goblin.

"(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)"

"Yes, you got it right."

Now Gleam understood the plan. She waited as Rusty set his tiny form on her back. She was armored herself, and from the outside it now looked as if he were riding into battle atop a heavily plated ant. The chamber they entered was filled with stalactites and stalagmites, perfect for concealing Rusty's compact form. With Gleam's agility guiding them, they slipped forward until the scene inside the cavern revealed itself.

"Kid, do not make this harder than it needs to be. Just hand it over."

Rusty peered from behind the jagged rock formations. The silence field seemed to have limits, and once inside its range, voices carried freely. There they were there: Oliver, Tally, and Rika, pressed against the wall with weapons drawn, their hands trembling. Opposite them stood Beros and his crew, arranged in a half-circle that blocked any escape. Beros's massive armored figure loomed over Oliver like an executioner, forcing the young man's knuckles to tighten around his spear until they turned white.

"It is those four…"

Rusty recognized Beros at once. They had crossed paths in the adventurers' guild not long ago, when Beros had invited him to join their party. Rusty had declined, unwilling to risk revealing his true identity as a monster.

"But why would they bother attacking those three? They shouldn't have anything worthwhile."

Rusty was confused. The group of three were only F-rank adventurers, and their equipment was so old and useless that it held no value to D-rank adventurers like the ones here. Rusty stayed low, clinging to Gleam's back to keep himself hidden. Then, without warning, a strange rainbow shimmer reflected off the chamber ceiling and cast a prismatic glow across the stone.

"Hm?"

At first, he thought it was a trick of the moss light, or perhaps some spell at work, but then he saw it clearly. Rika's trembling hand clutched a pouch at her side, and even through the worn leather he could see the faint rainbow glimmer seeping through.

"So that's it."

Aburdon's voice rumbled inside him as the demon lord explained.

"The greed of humanoids is truly fascinating. They would kill themselves over such a worthless thing."

Rusty did not know exactly what the item was, but it was clear that the group of D-rankers wanted it badly. Beros extended his gauntleted hand, palm open, the gesture commanding and heavy with authority.

"Hand it over, kid. I won't ask again."

Oliver's throat tightened as he swallowed hard. He tried to summon courage, but his spear wavered in his grip. Tally pressed close to Rika, the two of them forming a shaky defensive stance. Both had their weapons drawn, yet none of them truly believed they could win if a fight broke out. Even so, they did not yield. Rika's ears flattened, and when she spoke her voice sounded defiant.

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"Why should we give you anything? We killed that monster fair and square!"

"Y-yeah, what you're doing is against the guild code!"

Tally shouted, her voice rising with sudden courage after her friend spoke. The words did not shake the group of four. Instead, they exchanged glances, and after a brief silence, all of them burst into laughter.

"Guild code? Do you think something like that matters inside a dungeon?"

Asked the barbarian Grahn as he laughed, his massive axe resting against his shoulder while his muscles bulged in a display of power. The laughter echoed off the damp stone until it turned into silence, leaving only Beros' heavy breathing. His hand, still outstretched, curled slowly into a fist.

"You don't understand, kids."

His voice was deep, smooth, and almost friendly.

"There are rules… and then there's reality. Down here, the strong decide who walks away."

With a sudden movement, Beros' gauntleted hand shot forward, not at the pouch, but at Oliver's neck. The boy's body stiffened as Beros' grip clamped like an iron vice. Oliver tried to shout yet the words refused to form. His throat convulsed as Beros' fingers pressed into his windpipe. His legs kicked weakly against the stone floor, his spear falling from his grip as he clawed at the gauntlet. Beros' grip did not tighten enough to kill, but it was close, enough to send a message.

"Lesson number one."

Beros spoke with a tone that seemed polite, almost like idle conversation. His bushy beard shifted while his lips curled into a chilling smile.

"Never show off what you can't protect."

Rika froze for a heartbeat as the realization struck her then, panicking set in and her arrow flew. She aimed not to kill but to wound. Before her shot could reach Beros, a second arrow streaked in and shattered it mid-flight. The arrow shaft had come from the archer of the D-rank party and she seemed quite annoyed.

"These brats have guts. But that's about it… Let's just finish them and leave already."

"You are always so impatient, Sable."

The person who fired the shot was named Sable. Her mouth curled into a frown and it was clear that she did not want to be here.

"Sable is right, we do not have time to waste on these newcomers. Our target is that armored man, the new D-rank, he should be here somewhere."

The fourth member of the group spoke with irritation. He wore a hood and held a dagger. Suddenly, his head jerked behind him as he stared at an empty space between the rocks.

"You are just seeing things, Nirell. There is no one there."

"Someone could be there. Now get this over with."

The rogue-like man looked annoyed. He continued to scan the cavern as if he expected intruders to appear at any moment. Something in the darkness unsettled him. He sensed eyes on them but could not pinpoint the source.

"So they were after me all along?"

"Perhaps it would be wise to actually engage with them…"

Aburdon surprisingly, changed his mind after new information came to light. The group truly appeared to be hunting him. He had refused to join their party and perhaps they viewed that as a challenge. They had no idea he was present. He held the element of surprise and at last he had proper enemies to test the limits of his newly evolved body.

There was still a problem and he was sitting right on top of it. Normally no one would connect him to Edmund the adventurer, but because Gleam was there with him his identity could be exposed if anyone managed to escape. He also had no real desire to harm the three younger ones even though they would immediately understand it was him if Gleam happened to be discovered.

"Gleam… You'll have to act from the shadows, do not let yourself be seen and support me from cover."

"( •̀ ᴗ •́ )و"

Gleam offered no refusal and skittered down with Rusty clinging to her back so she could bring him closer to the battlefield. Their small sizes made it easier for them to approach unnoticed although time was running out and a decision had to be made. If Rusty did not act soon the F-rank adventurers would die for sure, and while they lived they could still distract the D-ranks.

"I should use those guys!"

Now that he stood on solid ground he opened his system window and pulled out several bits of armor. They were all simple pieces forged from twilight iron but in his hands they would create havoc inside enemy lines.

"It's always best to make a distraction."

If Rusty possessed lips, he would be whistling. Despite the danger waiting nearby, he felt no fear. Something else stirred in his metallic chest, a hint of curiosity. He was facing four D-rank adventurers. They should have been at his level, yet instead of fear, he could only feel excitement. A good moment to test his skills and new body.

When all of his preparation were don,e he nodded toward Gleam who concealed herself behind a cluster of boulders. It was time to begin. He drew a bow from his inventory and placed a single arrow made of twilight steel on the string. The point grew darker under the effect of his darkness element and he waited for the ideal moment to strike.

The three younger adventurers finally submitted and they gave away their precious item. This was the moment Rusty had been waiting for. Every gaze was fixed on the treasure. All of the D-rank adventurers watched it intently, and Rusty decided to eliminate the one who looked the most dangerous.

"See, I knew we would come to an understanding."

Beros bared his teeth as he released the youth he had been holding up with one hand. The three other adventurers burst into laughter, their eyes locked on the glittering prize now resting in their leader's palm. Greed twisted their faces, but before they could revel in their ill-gotten treasure, a dark arrow sliced through the air. Its sound was completely smothered by a silencing spell.

"Huh?"

A chill ran down Nirell's spine as he spun around just in time to spot the strange arrow headed straight for him. He twisted his body in a nearly impossible motion to dodge, but the projectile still struck his shoulder. Once it lodged in his flesh, a black smoke poured out, spreading across his body. His breath faltered and weakness overcame him in mere moments.

"We are being attacked!"

Sable shouted and raised her bow toward the direction of the strike. She saw someone emerging from behind a rock and instantly shot. Her arrow sped just as fast as the enemy's, colliding with the attacker's head. Yet instead of falling, the figure continued to run forward.

"What is that, living armor? There should not be any of those in this dungeon!"

The D-rank adventurers turned and saw two metallic creatures charging. One was missing its head but still advanced with shield and sword in hand. There was no battle cry, only the grinding clank of metal. Beros cursed under his breath as he realized what was happening, and his moment of distraction would prove disastrous.

Oliver was still on the ground, his hand near his discarded spear. He saw his chance and took it. Grasping the weapon, he thrust forward at the open palm that held the rainbow crystal. He could not wound the man who had been choking him moments before, but he struck hard enough to knock the crystal free.

"You little brat!"

The man roared as he watched the crystal fly from his hand and land in the cat girl's grasp as she lunged for it.

"Rika, run!"

Oliver shouted, leaping back to his feet. Rika did not hesitate. The moment her fingers closed around the pouch, she bolted toward one of the narrow tunnels. Tally chased after her, dragging Oliver along by his sleeve even as he tried to stay and fight.

The D-rank adventurers tried to pursue, but they were forced back by an unseen enemy. More arrows rained down from a distance, each one spreading black smoke on impact. The haze divided the chamber, allowing the younger adventurers to escape while trapping the veterans inside.

"What is this cursed mist? Nirell, answer me, are you in there?"

Sable shouted again, desperate to find her ally. She could feel the danger from the darkness, how it devoured light and sapped the strength of anyone who entered. Then she saw a figure stumble out. It was Nirell, but he collapsed forward with a blade buried in his back. Sickly veins spread across his face, as if poison had already taken hold...