Heavy Metal: Chapter 76 – Back To The Grind. (Patreon)

“Finally... What took you so long? Were you really having more fun with that idiot hero than with your own demon king?”

“He was just better suited to help me interact with the adventurers, now that the test is over, I don’t need him as much.”

Rusty replied to Aburdon, whom he had finally summoned after returning to his empty inn room. The party had already disbanded, leaving him alone once more. Aburdon, the demon king bound to Rusty, scoffed at the response, his pride clearly wounded by the idea of being less useful than Alexander, the hero. The black orb of light that represented the demon king hovered above Rusty’s head, as though trying to assert its superiority as a companion.

Despite his smugness, Aburdon knew he couldn't refuse an order from his master. Initially, Rusty had wanted both of them to be summoned at the same time as three heads, after all, seemed better than one or two. But the two bickered continuously, like an old married couple, and only caused more problems. It was easier to summon them one at a time. Now that Rusty was becoming more accustomed to the adventurer's life, it was fine to let Alexander rest for a while.

“Next time, wouldn’t it be better to just take all the money for yourself? They would’ve let you pass the test if you gave them the badges, wouldn’t they?”

“I doubt it. Working as a team was part of the test. It was better not to push my luck.”

“Hoh?”

Rusty responded, aware that Aburdon wasn’t being completely honest. He had already figured out that both of his guides had their own agendas. The demon king often urged him to kill, betray, and plunder - strategies that could lead to faster progress, but with much higher risks. Alexander, on the other hand, advocated for teamwork, discipline, and a slow but steady progress. The hero also had a soft spot for humans, encouraging Rusty to spare them, even when doing so could hinder his quest to save Gleam.

“If you continue down this path, you’ll just be crawling along at a snail’s pace. If you wish to save your friend, wouldn’t it be better to use everything at your disposal?”

“What do you mean?”

Aburdon floated closer as if trying to whisper into Rusty’s ear.

“You’ve already encountered adventurers, seen how they operate. Even during the test, you saw them take treasure and monster parts, didn’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right. What are you getting at?”

“Why don’t you just steal everything from them? Here’s the plan: first, we buy a detailed map of that maze. I bet they’ve got one that marks all the best spots.”

“Best spots for what?”

“For an ambush, of course, my dear Rusty!”

“An ambush? You want me to kill them?”

Rusty wasn’t sure how to feel about this suggestion. The adventurers were technically his enemies, but at the same time, they could become allies. As long as he maintained his identity as Albert, they’d treat him as one of their own and even offer help.

“Well, if you want to be a goody-two-shoes like that stick-in-the-mud Alexander, you don’t have to kill them. Just knock them out if you prefer. Once they’re out of the way, we grab their spatial bags and take all their loot! How’s that sound?”

“Hmm...”

Aburdon finally laid out the plan, and Rusty wasn’t completely opposed to it. After observing how things worked at the guild, he knew he could sell the extra monster parts without much trouble.

“That doesn’t sound too bad. They’ll probably have some coins on them too. If I leave them alive, Alexander won’t have anything to complain about...”

“Exactly! You could even use a place like that chamber with the sleeping mist. Once they’re asleep, you just grab their stuff and disappear!”

Rusty mulled over Aburdon’s plan, recognizing its advantages. It wasn’t much different from what he’d done in the old dungeon, luring unsuspecting adventurers into traps and killing them for experience points wasn’t anything new. This wouldn’t be any different, and adventurers were practically walking loot boxes, just waiting to be opened.

However, he knew Alexander would likely complain if the killings continued, and there was also the issue with the guild. If adventurers kept dying, the guild would eventually send an even stronger party to hunt him down, which was exactly what he wanted to avoid. It was smarter to play it safe and leave them alive for now, at least until the situation called for more drastic measures.

“I’ll think about it, but first we’ll go to the guild and look through that board, will you be able to remember the monster names and prices?”

“For my superior intellect, something like that is child’s play.” 

“Good…”

Rusty nodded and waited patiently, still bound by the rules of this place. His body, incapable of sleep, felt restless as he remained confined to the small room, with little to do besides listening to his guides bicker. At the crack of dawn, he gathered his belongings and headed back to the guild.

Today, he had three tasks: first, to retrieve his iron card; then, to study the board for the most profitable monsters; and finally, to head into the dungeon and begin his exploration. Once inside, he had no intention of leaving for a while. This would likely be the last time he returned to the guild for at least a week. The auction day had not been announced just yet but he probably didn’t have much longer than two weeks to get a sizable amount of money. Even if he couldn’t come up with the required funds in time, he had no intention of giving up. If it came down to it, he would bloody his armor again without hesitation.

As Rusty entered the guild, he noticed it was quieter than usual. The usual bustle was missing, and it seemed that none of the other participants from the rank-up trial had arrived yet. Alexander had mentioned something about adventurers celebrating with drinking and partying after accomplishing something noteworthy. Rusty wasn’t fully familiar with the customs yet, but he did notice a few adventurers passed out drunk in the corners, evidence of last night’s festivities. He approached the guild receptionist, who, to his surprise, was the same one who was arguing with some adventurers yesterday.

"Ah, what can I do for you, sir?" 

The receptionist stifled a yawn, covering her mouth with one hand.

“I’m here to collect my iron adventurer card.” 

Rusty replied, keeping his voice steady and low, trying to act as natural as possible.The receptionist blinked a few times, clearly still groggy from the previous night’s events. She quickly straightened up and began sifting through paperwork on her desk.

“Of course. Could I have your old adventurer card?”

“Here.”

Rusty had his card ready and handed it over. The woman took it and grabbed a pre-prepared list from the side. She scanned through the names, eventually confirming that “Albert the adventurer” was on the list. Then, she reached for a stack of new cards. The stack was sizable, though Rusty noted it seemed smaller than the number of people who had participated in the trial.

She flipped through the cards, stopping halfway to pull out Rusty’s new one. His old card had a copper tint, but this one gleamed with iron. The back bore the Adventurers Guild insignia, while the front displayed his name, rank, and the details of where and when the card was issued. Rusty accepted the card, glancing briefly at the rank now etched into the metal. His mind was already wandering as the significance of this upgrade hit him. With this, he could finally return to his main mission.

“… Remember, if you lose this card, we can remake it, but there will be a fee…” 

The woman continued, but Rusty had already mentally checked out. He turned on his metallic heel, cutting her off mid-sentence. He was tired of playing along with these adventurers, tired of pretending to care about their customs. The mummified body inside the armor might have felt lighter, but it was still uncomfortable. Once he was back in the dungeon, he could finally enjoy his freedom again.

“Thank you, and goodbye.”

“Ah... Have a nice day, sir.” 

The receptionist muttered, watching as he walked away. She placed his old card aside and resumed her work, her curiosity lingering on the odd adventurer for just a moment longer. She watched as Rusty walked toward the exit, only to stop suddenly and turn around with urgency. His pace quickened as he charged back toward her, catching her off guard.

“Um… was there something more?” 

She asked, her glasses almost falling off her nose as she flinched. 

“Yes… Do you happen to have maps for the Iron-ranked dungeon?”

“For the Dungeon of the Maze? Absolutely! We have the newest and most updated maps with all the pointers an Iron adventurer would ever need!” 

She quickly replied with enthusiasm like an experienced merchant. Rusty almost forgot the most crucial part of his preparation - the map. He needed it, and not only it as Aburdon had to memorize the creatures and treasures listed on the guild board. The map of the Maze Dungeon had three levels, each requiring its own corresponding map. The first level cost one silver coin, but the second and third were pricier.

Still, Rusty knew this was a necessary investment. Going in blind was too risky. Without something to help him orient himself, the maze would live up to its name, and he could easily become lost in its winding corridors. He fished out one silver coin from his satchel and deposited it down on the counter. The woman smiled at him and the trade had been made. 

“Will this be all or would you perhaps be interested in other maps? Or perhaps some supplies?”

“No, this is enough…”

Rusty retreated once again, this time heading toward the side room where he had received his coins the day before. The room was mostly empty now, though a few adventurers were still turning in items for profit. Without engaging anyone, Rusty quietly approached the board displaying various numbers and information on monsters and rewards.

Aburdon, hidden inside Rusty’s armor, floated near his visor and began scanning the board. As ordered, he quickly processed the information. Rusty barely had to wait as Aburdon’s ability to memorize things was almost instant. With the essential data now stored in Aburdon’s mind, Rusty felt more confident about his upcoming journey into the dungeon. He was ready to head back into the depths and truly explore it for profit. 

The main mission board at the guild displayed a variety of requests from different people. From what he understood, if he wanted to accept a quest, he would need to take the request form from the board and hand it to the receptionist. Many of the missions involved leaving the city to act as a bodyguard or some type of guard in other towns. However, the ones that interested him most were the requests for monster materials. These missions had a time limit and could potentially earn him more money, though they didn't always guarantee a reward.

Some of the missions couldn't be reserved in advance. The first person to return with the required items would receive the reward. It was a risky move to focus on certain requests but thanks to Aburdon’s memorisation skills, he could later decide on the most worthwhile ones. Once he was done looking through all of the information, it was finally time to leave.

His pace increased, the crowds of people still not formed which allowed him to arrive at the exit to the city quite fast. The journey to the dungeon was uneventful, with a few adventurers trailing behind while others returned from their own missions. The scenery grew familiar, and after flashing his new iron-rank card to the guards, he continued inside.

‘It feels similar, yet somehow different...’

Rusty had returned to the dungeon, unnoticed by the other adventurers who paid little attention to the lone iron-rank fighter. The walls were smooth as before, offering no cover from view. If he intended to ambush other adventurers, it certainly wouldn’t be in one of these corridors, where there was nothing to hide behind.

‘Can you really do it?’

‘Of course, I am the demon lord!’

‘So, where should I go next?’

‘That depends what are you looking for, my dear rusty? Rare monsters? Perhaps boobytrapped rooms to lead those pesky adventurers in? Or maybe we should just skip to the first area boss?’

Rusty held onto the map while letting Aburdon absorb the details. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the fastest reader, but he could at least understand the symbols. This dungeon was different from the one he was used to. One major difference was that every level was a maze, and another was that each one was guarded by a boss monster, similar to the one he had faced on the tenth floor.

‘Alexander mentioned that these bosses are regularly killed by adventurers, so for now, let’s just focus on finding some regular monsters to hunt, something above those Lizardmen, true E ranks.’

‘I see you’re being daring today Rusty. If I’m correct… and I am always correct, then there should be some orcs around the wester area, they should a good way to get that metal heart pumping!’

‘But I don’t have a heart?’

‘It’s just a way of speaking my dear Rusty, try to keep up~’

‘...’

He didn’t appreciate the mocking tone, but lacking human sensitivities so he wasn’t too bothered by it. Soon, Rusty was navigating the dungeon corridors, guided by Aburdon, who directed him at every turn. It was as if he had a natural radar, always aware of his position without the need to constantly check the map.

The plan was in motion, and Rusty couldn’t wait to shed his current disguise. As soon as he entered the dungeon, he had used the loadout feature to remove Albert's body from within his armor, instantly feeling much lighter. However, he couldn’t yet return to his original monster form. Too many adventurers were still roaming the tunnels, a problem that was quickly becoming a headache.

He encountered a few lone lizardmen along the way and also a variant of some from his old dungeon. Some skeletons blocked his way, their bones obsidian in color and their movements much quicker then the ones he was familiar with. 

Classification:

Obsidian Skeleton Soldier L3 E-

Type: 

Undead

Description:

An evolved version of a skeleton monster, their black bones are much more resistant to shattering when compared to their lesser evolved forms. 

The description had been accurate, but just like before, with the help of his elemental discharge skill, the creatures quickly turned to dust. Unfortunately, there weren’t many of them here - certainly not enough to farm experience points and grow stronger. Their bones or the powder they turned into weren’t highly valued, but even a few copper coins were worth taking, so he collected everything he could.

‘Don’t worry, Gleam, I’ll save you one way or another...’

With his path laid out before him, he ventured deeper into the illuminated corridors. Although the adventurers posed a threat to his life, soon enough he would receive a very helpful skill that would allow him to resume his old tactics.