Chương 176: Chapter 174 – Ant Solo.

"(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)""You're awfully happy today, but I get it, Gleam. It's just you and me! Time to conquer this dungeon and go deeper than we've ever gone before!" Gleam wiggled on Rusty's shoulder as the two descended into the dark cavern below. They had returned to the dungeon, leaving behind the city where they were still trying to establish themselves. There was a lot they needed to accomplish, and this place offered the best chance to do it.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" As Rusty spoke to his ant companion, another voice echoed from within his helmet. It was a voice that made his right eye socket glow with a sudden white light.

"I suppose you two count as well, but it's not like either of you are actually helping to fight the monsters." Rusty responded, and this time around, his left eye socket started to shine.

"Haven't we talked about this already, my dear Rusty? Just build me the proper body and this demon lord will be your loyal ally~""Don't trust him, Rusty. If you're planning to create suits of armor to house us, give me the first one. I'll test the limitations. Don't rely on that demon."

"You wound me, hero. What could little old me possibly do? We're both bound to Rusty's soul. There's no way I could defy his orders."

"I still don't trust you. The moment you see an opportunity, you will betray us both." As always, Alexander and Aburdon had begun arguing. At first, Rusty wanted to step in and stop them, but eventually, he let them continue shouting at each other. It felt like they were adventuring again, his two guides bickering while he went off to explore new places. He still planned to build bodies for both of them, but giving the first one to Alexander to test seemed like the better choice.

The late hero was more likely to be truthful and not attack him if he were somehow set free from his grasp.

"Should we head straight for the lower levels or kill some monsters on the way?"

"(•̀ ᴗ •́)""You want to go after the easy ones first to test your new skills and magic? That might be a good idea." Rusty nodded at Gleam's suggestion and made his way toward the area where they had previously encountered the Lesser Mermlocks. Those creatures were low E-rank monsters, perfect for testing how much progress the two of them had made. Rusty was now a D-rank monster, so they posed no real threat to him. Gleam, however, was still E-rank and needed to catch up quickly.

Rusty moved through a series of tunnels, using his life detection ability to locate adventurers and avoid them. Even as a D-rank, he was traveling alone, and sometimes adventurers attacked other solo travelers. He didn't fear them, but adventurers were far more unpredictable than monsters, who generally stayed within areas suited to their rank and grouped with others of similar strength.

"There they are. Two on the shore and another three hiding in the water." After about twenty minutes, they reached an unoccupied section of the dungeon that was partially flooded. The stagnant water rippled gently under the faint glow of moss clinging to the cavern walls. Two Lesser Mermlocks lingered near the edge, their bulbous eyes twitching and wide mouths opening and closing as if tasting the air for prey. Rusty knelt beside a stalagmite and studied the scene.

"Are you sure, Gleam?"

"(•̀ ᴗ •́)و""All right then. I'll be here if you need me." Rusty gave a nod and shifted away, keeping his eyes on her as she climbed one of the walls. She moved swiftly, positioning herself in a spot where the monsters wouldn't be able to detect her. While he trusted her, he still wanted to be ready in case anything went wrong. From his inventory, he drew a bow and a few arrows, notching one carefully. If trouble broke out, he would put an arrow straight through their oversized eyes.

'I wonder how Gleam will handle this.' Rusty stayed in his hiding spot and watched as she finally settled above him, choosing a position atop the wall. Jagged rocks hung along the edge, creating natural cover, and more importantly, keeping her out of the monster's reach. Gleam crouched silently in the shadows of the jagged rocks overhead, her tiny antennae twitching. The flickering moss-light reflected off her silvery shell as she slowly began to channel mana.

A soft glint of heat built within her, at first invisible to the naked eye, then steadily growing until it lit up the space around her. The Lesser Mermlocks remained unaware of her presence. One swatted at a buzzing cave gnat. Another let out a gurgling hiss, sniffing the air with its flared gills. The three in the water floated silently just beneath the surface, waiting for prey to wander close. Gleam raised her forelegs.

Then, with a sudden burst, she unleashed a narrow stream of fire straight into the center of the pool. The water hissed violently as steam exploded upward. Boiling bubbles surged to the surface, quickly transforming the shallow pool into a deadly trap. The two Mermlocks on land shrieked and scrambled backward, but it was too late for the three in the water. Their slick, scaled skin began to blister as they were boiled alive. They thrashed wildly, trying to leap out, but Gleam was not finished.

As the three lunged for the edge, more flames met them. Fiery arrows rained down with deadly accuracy, driving them back into the scalding water. The monsters, in a panic, tried to douse the flames by diving again, only to be cooked further. Their shrieks echoed throughout the cavern, and the rising steam concealed the silvery ant responsible for the chaos. You have gained +5 experience points. You have gained +3 experience points. You have gained +4 experience points.

Rusty watched his status screen light up with small bursts of experience notifications. As a D-rank monster, he barely earned anything from the lowest tier of E-rank creatures. Still, it confirmed something important. His friend had just taken down three of them on her own. Only two remained, and they had spotted her perched on the wall. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Thunk. A rock slammed into the stone near Gleam's hiding spot. Whack.

A sharpened wooden spear arced upward toward her. Before it could strike, Gleam raised a glimmering mana shield. A pale blue dome surrounded her, absorbing the blow. Sparks flew as the crude weapon shattered against the barrier. In the next instant, Gleam retaliated.

"(•̀ ᴖ •́)ノ🔥" With a triumphant chitter, she hurled another burst of flame at the remaining Mermlocks. They screamed and stumbled backward toward the deeper part of the pool, but the water was still boiling. Their escape had turned into a trap, and Gleam showed no mercy.

"I suppose this isn't needed…" At this point, Rusty rose and lowered his bow, then stepped forward, ignoring the next two system prompts. His armored boots crunched across the gravel-lined cavern floor. Heat still lingered in the air, and steam curled lazily around his metal form as he approached the edge of the heated pool. The last two Mermlocks were already dead, and only one thought filled his mind.

"Is this what humans call soup?"

"No… no it's not." Replied Alexander, who would have rolled his eyes if he had any. Gleam chittered excitedly and skittered down the wall, her tiny form glinting like a shard of silver glass. She leapt from a rock and landed gracefully on Rusty's shoulder, puffing out her chest with pride.

"You've gotten a lot stronger, Gleam, and much faster at casting these spells."

"(•̀ ᴗ •́)و" Rusty felt happy for his companion, though a hint of jealousy crept in. Despite being a higher-ranked monster capable of magic, his abilities were limited to producing orbs of light or darkness. He longed to wield a broader range of elemental spells but could not do so without enchanting his weapons or body parts.

"Well then, their bodies are well preserved. Let's get them and go." The Lesser Mermlock remains will be lost during the process of desynthesis, do you wish to continue?

"This makes going through the dungeons so much easier!" Rusty was glad he no longer had to spend hours dismantling monster parts. His system took care of everything. While some materials were lost during the process, he didn't mind. It was more than enough for his needs. With desynthesis handling the cleanup, he could stay focused on fighting. Once the five bodies had been processed, he and Gleam delved deeper into the dungeon. The map showed a path ahead that led to where D-rank monsters were known to linger.

It was time to move beyond the sunken mine and uncover what was truly hidden here. As far as he knew, he hadn't even made it through the first part of the dungeon. There was much more to this place than those grotesque, wide-eyed monstrosities. If he wanted to start earning real money, he had to go deeper. Rusty and Gleam continued their descent as the humid air grew thicker around them while they moved through the tunnels.

Eventually, they reached a larger chamber where several other adventurers had already gathered. The sight made Rusty uneasy, but it quickly became clear that these people belonged to different parties rather than a single unified force. Peace was maintained by uncertainty since no one could be sure of the others' combat abilities. For now, it was a neutral zone before the deeper exploration began.

"This place is built differently from the other dungeons. There are multiple pathways." The dungeon Rusty had come from was structured by descending levels, with only one entrance and exit. This one was different. Before them stood three separate passages, each with distinct features and its own name.

"Now then, where should I go first?" Rusty stood in the middle of a large chamber, facing three massive archways. Each one told a different story and hinted at the path it led to. The first was the leftmost passage, marked by strange stone covered in barnacles. A faint echo of dripping water and distant whale-like moans drifted from within. Strange blue coral and pulsating plant matter clung to the entrance, making it clear that whatever lay ahead would involve a great deal of water.

Carved into the arch were large letters that read "The Sunken Vault of Nar…" The final part of the name had crumbled away, but it was obvious that water-based monsters would be waiting inside. Rusty considered that his lightning-enchanted weapon might serve him well in that place. Then he turned to the middle one. No light spilled from within, and even the moss that clung to the walls elsewhere had receded from its edges.

Instead, a dry wind whispered from the opening bringing in something familiar with it, the smell of iron and coal. Faint echoes drifted out: the distant sound of clanging metal, picks scraping stone, and… something else. The archway was scorched in places, as if it had been seared by bursts of fire or magical energy. Just like the first archway, this one also bore an inscription describing what lay beyond.

"The Engulfing Mines" stood before him, said to contain a vast network of tunnels filled with monsters as well as mine shafts rich in resources. These were exactly what he desperately needed. Then there was the third path, leading to an especially intriguing place. The walls were lined with a strange crystalline material that shimmered in hues of violet, azure, and green. It coated every surface and gave off a faint magical energy.

It was not strong enough to be classified as a mana crystal, but it was enough to make Gleam's mandibles quiver.

"That one is called Crystalline Caverns?" Rusty said to Gleam as they approached the entrance. He had already gathered information about this place from the Guild and was interested in entering either this crystalline passage or the one that led into the mines. The first path, which resembled the entrance to a water temple, would have to wait. It was apparently one of the points where the dungeon had invaded the mines and transformed them into the fully developed dungeon it had become.

"Why is there a line though?" The receptionist had mentioned something about this, but Rusty wanted to verify it through his own visor. The area was crowded with adventurers, but they were not the only ones present. At each entrance stood armored men who appeared to be adventurers from the guild, ones with their markings. For some reason, they were checking cards and even demanding payment before allowing anyone to pass.

'I hope I have enough…' Rusty approached the group at the entrance to the Crystalline Caverns, keeping his movements calm and non-threatening. Gleam stayed perched on his shoulder, her antennae flickering with curiosity. The guards appeared to be members of the guild, each one bearing its insignia. This looked like a checkpoint of some kind, and it seemed that only those with the proper credentials and enough money would be allowed through.

As Rusty drew closer, a burly woman with braided silver hair and a massive sword strapped to her back stepped forward. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she examined him.

"Card." Rusty already had it ready. He handed over his newly issued D-rank card, which confirmed his status. The woman took it without hesitation and studied it for a moment. A frown appeared on her face as she returned it to him.

"This is a new D-rank card. Head to the mine instead."

"Huh? But isn't this area also for D-ranks?"

"An evolved monster recently spawned inside. We are only letting seasoned veterans through. Move along." That complicated things, but it wasn't a disaster. He could probably return to the crystal cavern later but this left his companion in a saddened mood.

"(•́ ᴖ •̀)""I know you wanted to try this one first, but I'm sure we'll find some mana crystals in the mine area too." The main reason he had wanted to come here was because of Gleam and his new body. The cavern was rumored to contain many mana-related resources, which he hoped to use to enchant himself. He was curious about the strange monster inside as well, but it was smarter not to cause trouble with the adventurers stationed here.

For now, the best option was to take the middle passage and head toward the mine. With one last glance at the glowing archway of the Crystalline Caverns, Rusty turned and led Gleam toward the mine. Gleam shifted on his shoulder, no longer disappointed but focused and ready to face whatever lay ahead. Behind them, the murmurs of the crowd faded, replaced by the strange, hollow echoes coming from deep within the mine.

As they moved forward, Rusty's form began to shift, changing from the body mimicking an adventurer to the one he had recently evolved into. Now he was ready to face what awaited inside and finally put his newly gained strength to the test against the creatures lurking within.