Chương 118: Chapter 116 – Over Points.

Gleam perched on a nearby table, her antennae twitching as she observed Rusty's unmoving body. The eerie silence of the hidden chamber was broken only by the faint hum of latent magic. Then, without warning, his frame began to tremble. She chirped in alarm and lept back as Rusty's iron body convulsed, cracks forming along its surface. A soft glow emanated from within, flickering between shades of deep purple and silver. The transformation had begun.

Rusty's armor shifted, the old iron plates shedding like molted skin, revealing a refined, gleaming metal beneath - Twilight Steel - an improved alloy infused with both shadow and light. Ethereal wisps danced along the edges of his plating for a moment, giving him an almost spectral appearance. Gleam chirped in awe, her eyes reflecting the glow of the new body. Rusty slowly lifted a hand, flexing his fingers as he adjusted to the changes.

His frame felt lighter yet more resilient, the magic coursing through him more potent than ever before.

"(•̀ ᴗ •́)و " Gleam cheered, fluttering closer as she examined his new form. The changes were minimal but it was clear to her that her friend was now a lot stronger. The helmet was slightly more angular and the plating a bit thicker. Rusty turned his gaze to her and once his sight returned he spoke out.

"Gleam, I'm back!" Rusty looked at his friend whom he had not seen in months. He wasn't sure how long he was gone for but now he was back and their adventure could resume. As he adjusted his new body he felt stronger, faster, and more dexterous. The twilight steel shimmered under the light of the chamber that Gleam conjured up.

'My shell hasn't changed much but it does feel a lot better, how does my status look though?' Quickly he brought up his status screen to see what he was working with. Only after inhabiting this steel alloy form could he glance over his stats and he noticed a few things that were out of place.

Name: Rusty Classification: Twilight Steel Armor [E ++] L1 Type: Magical/Inorganic Hit Points [HP] 361/361 Magic Points [MP] 283/283 Special Points [SP] 70/70 Strength 150 [E ++] {+ 6} Agility 127 [E +] Dexterity 126 [E +] Constitution 150 [E ++] {+ 11} Intelligence 131 [E +] Wisdom 133 [E +] Willpower 132 [E +] Durability D First of all, a few of his stats seemed to have reached the limit of E rank. Constitution and Strength had always been his top stats, and both were now at 150.

It was already clear to him that E-rank stats were divided by increments of fifty points, whereas when he was an F-rank creature, that number had been thirty-three. However, some strange brackets appeared next to those two capped-out stats, perhaps indicating that he had more of them than met the eye.

'I should probably ask Aburdon and Alexander for advice, but first...' Just like before, he should have received one more skill. He had gained Mana Sense previously and had hoped that this time, he would obtain a skill that would allow him to cast spells like Gleam. However, upon glancing at his system screen, he was disappointed to find an entirely new skill - one that had nothing to do with mana at all, but with fear.

Basic Terror Aura Active Skill When activated, this skill generates a region around the user that terrifies their foes. Enemies unable to resist its effects will be rooted in place for a short duration.

'It could be useful… I suppose…' In short, this was a crowd control skill that would allow him to momentarily stun enemies around him. He assumed it would only last for a second or two and was likely more effective against weaker foes, as stronger ones with high willpower would probably resist its effects.

'I'll need to test it against some goblins perhaps?'

"(⊙ _ ⊙)""Oh sorry Gleam, I was just looking through my skills." As he was going through his status screen, he noticed that Gleam was staring at him with intent.

"Speaking of which, how long was I gone?" Previously, he had no way of telling how long his evolution had taken, but with Gleam watching over his body, the mystery could finally be solved.

"(•̀ ᴗ •́)و""Oh, it was a whole day?" He was a bit surprised by this revelation, expecting it to be closer to the few hours it had taken for Gleam's recent evolution.

"I'm sorry, I thought it would be faster. Were you bored?"

"(￣﹃￣)""Oh… well, once we're out of here, I'm sure we'll find some food for you." Gleam had been surviving on mana-infused water for now, but he knew she much preferred the mana crystals from dungeons - which, unfortunately, they had none left of. Once outside, he wondered if he could find something to fill her little ant tummy a bit more. After finishing his chat with Gleam, he turned back to his status screen - this wasn't quite over yet.

All his loadouts needed to be remade, as he now had new armor variants, making the old iron armor somewhat pointless. Besides the Ogre and Wraith variants, he had also reforged the adventurer armor using the new twilight metal and was ready to restore his forms. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. After dragging and dropping a multitude of items, he was finally set. With that done, he decided to summon Aburdon and Alexander back into his eye sockets.

"Finally! I was wondering if you were mad at us." Aburdon grumbled, his tone laced with irritation from being kept waiting for so long. Alexander, on the other hand, remained silent on the matter. Instead, before Rusty could even ask for guidance, he pointed out the strange numbers in his status.

"It seems you've become an Elite Monster, Rusty. You even have over-stat points."

"Over-stat… points?"

"Indeed, hundred fifty is the point limit for an E-rank monster. Normally it is a barrier that can never be crossed." Rusty listened with interest and interjected before Alexander could continue.

"It can not? Then why was I able to?"

"Well, that's because…" Alexander was about to continue but Aburdon was the one to interrupt now.

"It's because your evolution is pushing you through the threshold, my dear Rusty. Once you cross it, a whole new world will open up to you!" He replied in an overly dramatic manner, making Rusty believe this was a big deal. He glanced at the few extra stat points and the double plus mark, indicating that this was indeed something special. Did this mean he could handle D-rank monsters even as an E-rank? His durability already exceeded that of D-minus monsters, so with these additional stat points, perhaps he could.

"I see that you're excited, but I'll have to disappoint you, my dear Rusty - it doesn't work quite the way you think."

"Oh?" Soon, Aburdon and Alexander began explaining, painting a clearer picture in Rusty's mind. The extra points didn't mean he had jumped an entire rank; rather, they simply added to his existing stats, as if they exceeded the usual 150-point limit. Normally, monsters couldn't surpass that cap, and any points beyond it wouldn't be counted. It was as if there was an imposed restriction on ranks to prevent them from reaching too high.

However, there was something unique about these extra points - they were supposedly permanent. Once he evolved further, they would be added to his stats separately.

"So that's how it works… interesting."

"Indeed. You should have received a title along with it." At Aburdon's words, Rusty quickly navigated to his title list and spotted one that seemed new. Over The Limit Title A title gained once the rank limit gets broken. Rusty examined the title carefully. Over The Limit - it had a nice ring to it. If this meant he was pushing past the natural constraints of his rank, then his evolution was progressing in ways even he hadn't fully anticipated.

It also suggested that if he had chosen to skip the E-plus rank, he might never have received this title or the ability to farm these over-points.

"I see…" It was a lot to take in, and with his limited knowledge, he didn't fully grasp all of it. But one thing was clear - he was now stronger and would continue growing with each evolution. More importantly, he wouldn't have to worry about wasting future stat points if he decided to remain in one rank for longer. With that cleared up, there was still one thing left to do.

'I think these should work now, right?' Rusty opened his inventory and retrieved the three Small Experience Talismans he had earned from his summoner quest. They materialized in his hand, and as he channeled some mana into one, he watched his experience bar shoot up, stopping just past the halfway mark. Without hesitation, he activated the second and third talismans, instantly pushing his new form to level two. Congratulations you have gained a level.

Name: Rusty Classification: Twilight Steel Armor [E ++] L2 Type: Magical/Inorganic Hit Points [HP] 365/365 Magic Points [MP] 285/285 Special Points [SP] 70/70 Strength 150 [E ++] {+ 9} Agility 129 [E +] Dexterity 130 [E +] Constitution 150 [E ++] {+ 15} Intelligence 134 [E +] Wisdom 136 [E +] Willpower 135 [E +] Durability D As expected, his over-points continued increasing despite reaching the usual limit. He knew that once he advanced to D-rank, his stats would reset to something close to level one.

However, there was a hidden boost that ensured higher-ranked monsters were always stronger, even if their displayed stats appeared lower.

'Great. Gleam and I have both evolved now, and we have the more important blacksmith's head too. I should finally check out what Ferndale has to offer. I'll have to decide whether it's good enough to become my new lair.' Even though he had advanced significantly and was now approaching D-rank, he was well aware that he was still far from truly strong. Many adventurers of higher ranks existed, with D-rank being quite common - often the rank where many seasoned veterans ended up.

Realistically, he probably wouldn't feel comfortable unless he reached C or even B-rank.

"Oh right, before we go Gleam… take a look at this."

"(╹ -╹)?" He was about to leave this hidden chamber made by the thieves guild but then remembered that he had made a present for Gleam. Rusty reached into his inventory and pulled out the desired object. In his hands was a newly crafted piece of armor - Gleam's very own protective plating. Gleam's antennae twitched as she examined the delicate craftsmanship. Rusty had fashioned the armor to complement her natural agility while enhancing her durability.

The plating covered her thorax and parts of her legs, ensuring she remained as swift as ever while offering protection against stronger foes.

"(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)" She touched the piece of armor with her antennae and then performed a happy little jiggle. Rusty chuckled at her enthusiasm and asked if she was okay if he helped her put it on. After a resounding nod they spent a few moments getting it on. They were still traveling and it was much safer if she had it on.

"How does it feel? Does it feel uncomfortable?"

"(•̀ ᴗ •́)و" For a moment he was worried that he had gotten the dimensions wrong. It was his first time crafting armor for a creature as small and nimble as Gleam, but from her enthusiastic response, it seemed he had done well. The twilight steel plating fit snugly against her exoskeleton, providing protection without hindering her movement.

"Good, then we're ready to go." Rusty said, stretching his limbs one final time. His new body still felt strange, but it was undeniably an upgrade. His grip on weapons was steadier, his movements sharper. He glanced around the chamber once more before turning to the exit. Gleam fluttered onto his shoulder, her new armor shining under the light coming from Rusty's eye sockets. With everything prepared, there was only one thing left to do - return to the outside world.

'This should open the path forward.' They stood in the hidden chamber built by the Thieves' Guild. From the outside, the tunnels had seemed like a dead end, but after activating the mechanism here, Rusty heard a deep rumbling - signaling that the path forward was beginning to open.

"Get ready, Gleam. We don't know what's out there, could be more undead, or maybe another one of those strange spiders!"

"ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵) ✧" For now, Rusty chose to remain in his current body, keeping the Ogre and Wrath on standby. In his right hand, the poleaxe he had fashioned earlier appeared, its enchantment giving it a crimson glow. In his left, he gripped a shield. After inserting his Thieves' Guild coin, the stone wall outside groaned as it slowly slid open, revealing a passage beyond. Retrieving the coin from the slot, he finally left the chamber behind and their journey into the unknown resumed.

Rusty tightened his grip on the poleaxe, and Gleam crouched slightly, ready to react to any sudden danger. Dust swirled into the corridor as air from the newly revealed tunnel rushed in, carrying the scent of damp earth and something faintly metallic - blood, perhaps? He took a cautious step forward, his enhanced frame making barely a sound against the ancient stone floor.

Then, without warning, light flared to life as torches lining the walls of the corridor ignited one by one, their flickering flames casting restless shadows. The passage stretched into the distance, and the steady glow of the torches made it clear: a long road lay ahead. Gleam's antennae twitched as she scanned their surroundings, pressing her small body closer to Rusty's shoulder.

"(⚆ _ ⚆)""You don't like it either?" The two stopped for a moment, waiting for the rumbling to subside, their gazes fixed on the distant passage ahead. Aburdon and Alexander remained silent as the quartet listened intently. Then, just as expected, something stirred in the darkness.

"Hah, were they drawn by the noise?" Aburdon chuckled as creatures began to emerge from the cavern before them.

"It's never easy, is it?" Alexander's voice resonated within Rusty's mind, his light flaring slightly as the approaching figures became clearer.

"Those look like… rats?" Rusty muttered as the torchlight finally illuminated their new foes - giant rats. A swarm of them scurried forward, their numbers stretching into the shadows beyond. Their sizes varied, some no larger than a housecat, others as big as a large dog. Foam dripped from their gaping maws, their jagged yellow teeth gleaming as they let out sharp, menacing squeaks.

"(•̀ - •́)""Impudent?" Rusty chuckled slightly, nearly laughing at Gleam's odd word choice but there was no time to dwell on it. While the rats had numbers on their side, that was all they had. Rusty stepped forward, poleaxe in hand, eager to test his newly enhanced body.