Chương 192: Chapter 190 – Flying Mount.

"Did you hear?"

"Was there another one? Who did they get this time?"

"It was Felix and a few others. They never returned from that guard mission."

"What are those nobles thinking? They should gather their army and do something about it. Why are we even paying taxes?"

"Shhh, you are too loud. What if they hear you?" A man glanced over his shoulder toward two guards. They were yawning and not paying attention, and he let out a sigh of relief. Someone had still overheard the argument. That person sat on a nearby bench, staring at a system display after returning from spelunking in the dungeon.

"Those bandits are causing a lot of trouble, huh?" He muttered some words as a faint glow appeared in his right eye.

"They might have grown too large for the merchants to handle, but, oddly, no one is doing anything. We should be careful." Alexander said, and as his light faded, another one ignited in the left eye socket.

"There is nothing to worry about. We will slaughter them all and take their treasure." Aburdon said, while Rusty just nodded. That was the plan. Three weeks had passed since the merchant guild had taken his money, and soon he would have to pay again. His store was not doing well. His wares were no better than those of others, so customers went to the more prominent shops. Trust was a currency he did not yet have, but he intended to build it slowly.

The bandit activity around the settlement kept growing until it became a constant topic of conversation among the townsfolk. As before, the adventurers were too occupied with monsters in the dungeon, and no one wanted to take the guild's missions since the pay was too low. The bandit camp was rumored to hold an unknown number of battle class fighters, which most people considered far more dangerous than any monster. It seemed that the people were simply waiting for the bandits to leave.

As a bandit lair grew larger, it drew more attention from the nobles, which usually forced the bandits to relocate. The nobles intervened only when the groups became too large, and the bandits understood this, so they usually kept their numbers below that point. Many merchants chose to avoid trouble by taking longer travel routes, but others still gave in to greed and sent caravans through risky paths in hopes of earning more.

Rusty was interested in the idea of crushing the bandits, but for now, his attention was fixed on his friend.

"You are right. I am sure they will not be able to stand against two D-ranked monsters."

"(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)" It had been some time since he became a D-ranked monster, but his levels were rising slowly. Gleam, however, had still been an F-ranked monster until recently. She pushed herself to the limit and was finally ready to take the next step forward. Now it was up to him to choose from the options placed before her.

Name: Gleam Classification: Small Silverwing Magical Gleaming Ant [E +] L15 Type: Insectoid It was easy for her to gain levels while constantly fighting D-rank monsters, but this slowed Rusty's progress, which had already begun to stall. The world system penalized him for fighting alongside someone of a lower rank, and it also limited Gleam's experience to some extent. Even so, she was here now, and there were several options ahead. Adult Magical Gleaming Ant [Insectoid] [D] An adult Magical Gleaming Ant.

Its larger body size allows it to cast a variety of spells. Its mandibles have grown stronger, and its bite can shatter stone and even metal. Flying Mana Myrm Ant Soldier [Insectoid] [D] A winged magical variant of the Myrm Ant Soldier. Its body remains roughly the same size, but its magical abilities grant it greater strength and speed. It can cast spells capable of devastating groups of enemies, and its wings allow it to fly freely through the air.

Silvergleam Mana Ant [Insectoid] [D -] An evolved form of the rare Small Silverwing Magical Gleaming Ant. Though it still retains a small stature, it surpasses its previous form in every way. This monster specializes in magical attacks and aerial combat, with wings and aerial speed greatly enhanced compared to its earlier evolution. Horned Myrm Ant Queen [Insectoid] [D] A rarer horned variant of the Queen of the Myrm Ant species.

Once fully grown, it becomes immobile to dedicate itself entirely to producing offspring. Just like many times before, there was only one real option. Once he noticed the existence of overpoints, it became clear that skipping ranks was pointless. The only choice left was the Silvergleam Mana Ant, and luckily, the size wouldn't change.

"What do you think?"

"(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)""You want me to choose?" Rusty stood up, and the two of them returned home. As before, he stood guard while his friend underwent the transformation. This time, the process lasted much longer, taking almost two days to complete. The change was not drastic, but the differences were readily apparent. Her wings shone more brightly than before, glowing with a faint blue light whenever she spread them. Her silver body now bore several bluish stripes that pulsed with magical energy.

Her face had stayed much the same, but the tips of her antennae now glowed a deep, luminous blue.

"(„• ֊ •„)੭" Inside his basement forge, Rusty watched as Gleam's wings flexed for the first time since her transformation. A blue shimmer like rippling water spread across the dark workshop walls. He was certain that if the children saw her new form, they would be filled with wonder, but for now, he chose to keep it hidden. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Her new coloring was soon concealed beneath her old armor.

Her size had not changed, and he adjusted the pieces so her wings could spread apart. With her body evolved, she had gained new abilities. Most of her earlier transformation had centered on acquiring spells and strengthening her casting. Mana-Infused Mandibles Active Skill Infuses her mandibles with radiant mana that deals damage over time to any bitten enemies Prismatic Mana Bolt Active Skill Condenses ambient mana into a shimmering projectile that refracts into multiple beams before impact.

Effective against groups or evasive enemies. Next was the skill she had gotten for reaching D rank. Enhanced Mana Flight Active Skill This skill greatly improves aerial maneuverability, allowing rapid acceleration, sudden changes of direction, and the ability to maintain flight for extended periods without fatigue. When activated, the user's wings become infused with mana, leaving a faint trail of blue light. Although unplanned, this was exactly what he needed for his next mission.

He had intended to deal with the Bandits soon, but bringing Gleam along had always been an obstacle. Their camp lay far from the settlement, two or three days of travel on foot. With his meld skill, he could cover such distances quickly, but he could not take Gleam with him. Now that she appeared capable of faster flight, the possibility of her keeping pace became real. He was not yet certain how fast she truly was, but they would soon find out.

Name: Gleam Classification: Silvergleam Mana Ant [D -] L1 Type: Insectoid Hit Points [HP] 371/371 Magic Points [MP] 740/740 Stamina Points [SP] 325325 Strength 139 [E+] Agility 15 [D -] {5} Dexterity 2 [D -] Constitution 1 [D -] Intelligence 22 [D -] {31} Wisdom 21 [D -] {30} Willpower 17 [D -] {24} Durability D - -"That should do nicely." Rusty nodded as he turned off the system display. Enhanced flight had been achieved, and it was time to test it.

Together, they left through the settlement gate and headed to a quiet stretch of land where no one would disturb them. There, Gleam had the space she needed to spread her wings and take to the air. The sun was shining brightly in the forest opening, which he decided to use as cover. No guards patrolled this far, and adventurers were more interested in the dungeon to come here. It was the perfect spot to conduct the testing, and Gleam had already hopped off his shoulder to try.

"Alright, let's see what you can do."

"(• ֊ •)੭" Rusty folded his arms, stepping back to give her space. Gleam clicked her mandibles once, then spread her wings wide. The faint blue glow along the edges brightened and gave off a nice sounding hum. Then, with a sudden burst, she launched into the air. The trail of mana she left behind shimmered like scattered stardust, and Rusty could not take his metallic gaze off her. She darted left, then right, her body twisting in tight spirals as if she had suddenly become weightless.

Her speed was startling, far beyond anything she had managed before. In a heartbeat, she dropped low, skimming the grass like a hunting hawk. She looped once in midair before landing neatly in front of him, her wings folding back into place against the armor.

"That was great, Gleam!"

"(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)""What? You want me to climb on?"

"(•̀ᴗ•́)و""I see. That could actually work." Rusty nodded and scanned the area. After activating his life detection skill to make sure they were alone, he switched to one of his loadouts, taking on his smallest form, one that could ride on Gleam's back. Just as she asked, he climbed on and waited for her to take off.

"Alright then, let's give this a try…" Before he could finish, Gleam shot into the air. The sudden acceleration nearly threw him off, and Rusty clung to the notches along her armor as the wind howled against his helmet. His smaller form made him lighter, but it also left him more vulnerable to the currents.

"Hah! Not bad at all!" The experience was exhilarating, and the view from above was even better. Gleam darted and spun through the air, testing the limits of her new D-rank body. The world below blurred, trees shrinking as they climbed higher. Her speed was astonishing, quick enough to overtake passing birds with ease.

"Could she be as fast as a wyvern? Maybe even faster?" Alexander spoke in awe, his light flickering in Rusty's right eyesocket.

"Not as fast as my dragon, that's for sure." Aburdon gloated about his past, but Rusty ignored him. His focus remained on Gleam's flight and the realization that his plans might need to change. He had intended to use his element melding skill to move ahead and wait for her to catch up, but now it was clear he could simply ride her the entire way. In truth, this approach was probably safer and far more efficient.

Gleam spiraled upward, her wings leaving arcs of shimmering blue light across the sky, then plunged straight down, stopping just short of the ground before darting back up again. Finally, she landed and let Rusty slide from her back. The glow of her wings faded as she folded them against her sides.

"(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)""That was incredible!" He opened up the system window to check her stats. Her stamina and mana had barely dropped. Her flying ability was remarkable, and she seemed capable of keeping it up for long stretches without trouble.

"Good. That means distance is no longer an issue. We can investigate the bandit camp tonight and see how long it takes us to reach it."

"(•̀ᴗ•́)و" Because of Gleam's evolution, the time for the next payment was drawing near. He hoped to claim the money the bandits had been hoarding, since it would allow him to ignore the merchant guild that was trying to force him out of business. Night fell, and the last traces of sunlight disappeared beneath the darkening horizon. Rusty Fastened looked over his small body once more. During the day, he had smoothed out some of the edges to make it more aerodynamic, a word he had learned from Alexander.

He did not fully understand how it worked, but with this sleeker and slightly lighter body, Gleam wouldn't have to push herself as much.

"We should not fly too high, and we must avoid the main roads. If adventurers see us, they might try to bring us down with spells or arrows. Stay closer to the trees so we have cover if someone notices us." Rusty tightened the straps that secured him to Gleam's back. The faint hum of her wings vibrated through his small frame. Her antennae glowed softly as they sensed the shifting air currents, and soon the two began to hover. The forest stretched out before them, cloaked in night.

Moonlight slipped through the gaps in the canopy, painting streaks of silver across the undergrowth. Owls called from hidden branches, and a chill breeze carried the distant howls of predators and monsters. They were leaving the orc-infested woods behind, yet that did not mean the rest of the forest was safe.

"Alright, Gleam. We will scout first. No need to fight tonight. We will just watch, learn, and leave unseen."

"(•̀ ᴗ •́)و" With a single beat of her shimmering wings, they lifted into the air. Rusty felt a rush of cold wind sweep past his helmet as the trees below blurred into darkness. Gleam kept low, darting between the treetops and weaving through the canopy. They flew for hours, yet the distance that would have taken a long march to cover brought them to the bandit camp in less than two.

"That was faster than expected." In the distance, faint orange embers flickered through the trees like fireflies. Smoke drifted on the night air, mingling with the aroma of roasted meat and the stench of unwashed bodies. Rusty couldn't smell it, but once Gleam drew nearer, her antennae flattened in irritation. The bandit camp spread across a clearing ahead, lit by scattered bonfires and torches. From above, Rusty could make out crude wooden palisades and hastily built watchtowers, each manned by armed figures.

"Too organized for mere highway robbers." The glow in Rusty's right socket pulsed faintly as the guide's voice carried through his helmet.

"They have built more than just a hideout. That looks like the beginning of a fortress." Aburdon gave a dry laugh.

"Pitiful compared to what I have seen, but yes. They are not planning to leave anytime soon." It was clear these bandits had no fear of the nearby nobles. They were establishing something permanent, and that alone was suspicious. Even more troubling was the presence of others in the camp who appeared to be part of a merchant caravan.

"Let's land, Gleam." Gleam descended and slipped behind a line of trees, giving Rusty a place to dismount. He had not planned to attack tonight, but the longer he waited, the harder the battle would become. To his surprise, the bandits seemed to be celebrating. Most of them were drunk, and that offered an opportunity to strike.