Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ]

Chapter 65 –Cross-Examination.

A large armored man entered the dimly lit room, his steps echoing against the stone floor. The room was sparsely furnished, with only a wooden table and two chairs. The walls were lined with shelves holding various documents, and a small window high up on the wall allowed a sliver of moonlight to seep in. A lone man was already seated on one of the chairs and waiting for the armored person to take a seat.

“Calm down Rusty, we expected this to happen, just sit down and respond to the guard, everything should be fine, don’t worry.”

Rusty hesitated for a moment before sitting down. His metallic frame creaked slightly as he adjusted himself in the chair, and he kept his head down, avoiding direct eye contact. He was aware of Alexander’s presence in his armor and that the people here could not hear his words.

Before leaving the dungeon, he had conducted a series of tests. The hero and demon king could be seen by adventurers to a certain degree. Their light could affect the environment, but it didn’t seem like anyone could precisely identify its source. This led to the discovery that no one could hear what the two were saying, and if the light was hidden within his body, it couldn’t escape. They could converse with each other without a problem, as the people here could only understand him through the possessed body.

The guard placed the adventurer’s card on the table, sliding it back and forth between his fingers as he studied Rusty with narrowed eyes. His expression was unreadable to someone like Rusty to whom human expressions were meaningless. It seemed that there was a problem with his adventurer card or at least the last date it had been used.

“So, Albert F-ranked adventurer… hasn’t reported to the guild in over half a year, what brings you back to the city? and before you answer, show me your face.”

Rusty knew this was a crucial moment. His cover had held so far, but any misstep here could unravel everything. It was normal for adventurers to go missing for long periods of time and he was not in trouble yet. Alexander’s voice echoed in his mind, confirming and calming the situation.

“Don’t worry, they are probably just curious where an F-rank adventurer vanished for half a year. Your armor is a bit too good for such a rank, they might be assuming that someone took on the identity of a dead adventurer, just stick to simple responses and raise your visor.”

“All right…”

Rusty replied while also scanning the room. He wasn’t alone with the guard; another was leaning against a corner. The only exit was the door he had entered through. There were no windows large enough to escape through, and the walls seemed thick and sturdy. It was clear that if things went wrong, running wouldn’t be an option. However, if he could get outside and perhaps toss his helmet into the moat, he might survive. Breathing underwater wasn’t necessary, and Alexander had assured him that not many people would dare to swim after him.

With a shaky hand, Rusty reached up to his helmet and slowly lifted the visor, revealing the face beneath. It was a pale, almost lifeless visage, one that bore a stark contrast to the lively adventurers the guard was accustomed to seeing. The eyes, though, were filled with a certain intensity, and the moment the guard saw them, he flinched in fright.

The guard eventually calmed himself and leaned in closer, scrutinizing Rusty’s face in the dim light. The other guard shifted slightly, his posture indicating heightened alertness. The man eyeballed the picture that was on the card and the pale face within the helmet, clearly not being sure if it was the same person.

"So, where have you been all this time?"

The guard asked, his tone skeptical.

"Half a year is a long time, especially for an F-rank. Did you get lost in a dungeon, or maybe you were taken by bandits?"

Rusty hesitated but the question was similar to something that Alexander had told him before. He just needed to repeat the words that he was told and focus on making the flesh body inside of his armor pronounce the words correctly.

“Lost… in the lower levels…”

Rusty replied in his rough, monotone voice.

"Barely made it out. Found this armor... from an old knight, deep in the dungeon. Took me time to find the way back, I suffered an injury t-that left me like this… I still haven’t fully recovered…”

“Great, that wasn’t bad Rusty!”

Alexander cheered him on while the guard’s expression softened slightly at Rusty's explanation, though his eyes still held a trace of suspicion. The other guard in the corner seemed to relax a bit as well, though he kept his hand close to the hilt of his sword.

"Lower levels, huh?"

The guard nodded slowly, as if considering Rusty's words.

"I suppose it makes sense. We've heard stories of adventurers getting lost down there for months and you do look sick, best you visit the nearby church and get yourself blessed, you might have been cursed if you look that pale, now just stand still so I can take a look and then you can be on your way.”

Now it was the time for the last test, he had managed to get through the initial line of questioning. Just like Alexander mentioned, these people weren’t very throughout and if he just said something plausible they would let him be. However, one thing still remained and that was the status identification skill. It wasn’t something everyone had but there were ways to go around this problem.

The guard took out a pair of strange-looking glasses. The frames were rather thick and once they were on his face they started glowing. Strange symbols appeared on the frames and indicated an enchantment being used. Rusty stiffened as the skill was activated, hoping that what his guides had told him previously was true.

“Are you sure the possession skill will hide my status?”

“That’s what Aburdon said so I’m not sure…”

Alexander had no experience with using such skills but he knew that there were ways of fooling the identification skill. In theory, once someone possessed a body like Rusty did, his status as a monster would be hidden. Instead, it would show the status of the body being used.

“Those glasses don’t look new, it’s probably a lesser identification enchantment so it should be fine. If this guard is using a basic identification spell, it should only reveal surface-level information - like your name and rank.”

Rusty stayed still as he was examined by the man. The guard's brow furrowed slightly as he adjusted the glasses, but his expression remained unreadable. Rusty could feel his grip tightening on the edge of the table, his metallic fingers leaving faint impressions on the wood. He mentally repeated the instructions Alexander had given him, suppressing anything that could reveal him as a monster.

Finally, the guard removed the glasses and the glow faded as he set them down on the table. He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest before speaking.

"Well, Albert, everything seems to be fine but… this armor that you are using, who did you exactly get it from? It doesn’t look like something an F-rank should be wearing…”

“Damn, this bastard… quick Rusty, remember what I’ve told you before? Bring out that.”

“By that do you mean?”

Rusty listened to Alexander and quickly moved his hand to his side pouch. The guard could see him moving for something so he paused for a moment, his hand hovering near his sword, but Rusty calmly pulled out a small, weathered sack. The moment he tossed it on the table, the sound it generated instantly made the guards relax as they heard coins clinking together within.

“...”

The man looked to his friend who had a strange expression on his face. Almost instantly, the guard placed his hand over the coin-filled purse to hide it from anyone trying to peek from outside.
“What’s wrong with their faces?”

“Oh, that’s just the look of greed. There isn’t much in this world that can’t be solved by money, Rusty.”

Alexander sounded disappointed to see the city guards pocket all the coins.

“I bet those bastards would have otherwise tried to take your armor and implied that you stole it off someone if you didn’t comply…”

“I see… adventurers are strange.”

“They sure are… Corruption runs deep in places like this, especially when dealing with low-ranked adventurers. They’re not above bending the rules if they see a chance for profit.”

This greed worked in their favor so Rusty didn’t care. To him the copper coins were useless as he had many more copper ingots to spare. The guard pocketed the coins swiftly and the tension within the room dissipated almost immediately. His expression shifted to one of satisfaction, and he handed Rusty’s adventurer card back to him.

“Well, Albert, it seems everything is in order now. Just be careful out there. With armor like that, people might think you’re an E rank.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, thank you.”

Rusty nodded, taking the card and slipping it back into his pouch. First, he lowered his visor to hide his face that was at its limit, then he stood up slowly. The other guard, who had been eyeing Rusty warily, now seemed uninterested, leaning back against the wall and relaxing his posture.

“You’re free to go. And remember, visit the church soon to make sure you’re not cursed. Wouldn’t want to see you end up like some of the others who got lost down there.”

With a final nod, Rusty turned and walked out of the room. As he exited the small structure, he felt the cool night air brush against his armor. The city of Argossa lay before him, its streets illuminated by torches and strange-looking lanterns. The bustling activity was starting to dwindle as most stores were closing down. The only places that remained open were inns and bars along with the adventurer guild that he now needed to head to.

Rusty took a moment to gather himself and couldn’t help from staring at the wide world before him. This was his first time in a large city and also outside. The sky that had been filled with clouds and a bright ball of light, was now replaced with many tiny glittering stars. It was a magnificent sight and a strange-looking sphere was glowing dimly right above him. However, before he could continue looking he heard a voice from behind him.

“Hey, get out of the way already!”

“Huh?”
He turned around to see an angry-looking man dressed in some shabby clothes. Behind him were two others, also late coming adventurers that he needed to avoid. Rusty quickly stepped to the side and let the group through.

“Rusty, this is good, follow after those three, they are probably headed to the adventurer guild.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, otherwise people might get suspicious when they find you wandering around the city. The faster we get this over with and leave, the better.”

Rusty watched the three adventurers pass by and quickly fell into step behind them. Alexander was saying the truth, he came here to get Gleam and not to see the sights. Once he had her, then they just needed to hide out in a corner of the city and finally leave at dawn. The plan they created was to allow him to survive as staying within this city was far too dangerous.

The adventurers ahead of him eventually turned into a narrow alleyway, and Rusty followed cautiously, his armor clinking softly with each step. The alley opened up to a larger square where the adventurers’ guild building stood prominently. It was a tall, imposing structure with large wooden doors and an ornate sign hanging above them, bearing what seemed to be the emblem of the guild.

“So, that’s the adventurer guild. It sounds loud…”

“It changed somewhat but it’s the same building… It can’t be that long since I’ve been gone, the wood and bricks doesn’t look that much older…”

“Hm?”

“Oh nothing, you can ignore that… Let us just go in and get this over with.”

Alexander had been behaving strangely since he had seen the large city. It started becoming obvious that he had been here before at some time in the past. Rusty hesitated at the entrance of the adventurers' guild, feeling something very human that he didn’t fully understand. The building was bustling with activity, and he could hear the muffled sounds of laughter, clinking mugs, and the occasional argument through the thick wooden doors. His metallic hand hovered over the door for a moment, unsure whether he should push forward or retreat.

“Rusty, we need to move. If you stand out here any longer, someone might start asking questions. Just keep calm and stick to the plan.”

“I know… This is all for Gleam!”

Ever since they arrived in the city, something had been bothering him. His status screen wasn’t changing and Gleam’s name continued to be grayed out as before. It was possible that his friend wasn’t in this adventurer guild or even within the city. However, Alexander urged him to go forward as there was a possibility that they were still there.

Rusty pushed the heavy door open and stepped inside. The interior of the guild was lively, with adventurers of all shapes and sizes gathered around tables, sharing stories and drinks. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol, sweat, and the faint clang of metal.

He quickly scanned the room, searching for any sign of danger, but it seemed that most people were too engrossed in their own affairs to pay him any mind. The three adventurers he had followed were already making their way to the front counter, where a bored-looking receptionist was sorting through a stack of papers.

“Just stay behind them and try to act natural, everything will be fine.”

“Okay…”

Rusty made his way toward the counter, doing his best to blend in. As he walked, he couldn’t help but notice the glances he was receiving from some of the other adventurers. This was expected as not many people were wearing such extensive full-body armoring. Luckily, they soon turned away once realizing that it was still only something made from regular iron.

After some time passed Rusty finally reached the counter. The previous group had finished their business and the receptionist, a young woman with short brown hair and a tired expression, greeted him. She seemed unphased by the unusual armor, having likely seen all sorts of adventurers pass through the guild’s doors.

"Name and rank? What can I help you with? Are you here to sell materials, report something or complete a mission?"

“Albert, F-rank… No, I’m here for something…”

It was finally time to complete his mission. Everything was going great and his cover had not been blown yet. Alexander had been right, everyone here seemed tired and sloppy. Now he just needed to ask for Gleam, get her out and perhaps tomorrow they would be free together.

“I am here to inquire about something…”

“Yes?”

“Were there any monsters recovered from the dungeon that might have been tamed but were missing their master? If so… then one of them could belong to me…”

“A tamed monster? Anything more specific? What type of monster was it?”

“It was a white ant… a Gleaming Mana Ant…”

“Gleaming mana ant?”

The woman seemed startled by the reveal of the name and for some reason started bowing before him.

“I must apologize but…”

Something was wrong and Alexander didn’t need to tell him that perhaps their plan was going to fail…