The forest's rhythm was peaceful—birds chirping, leaves swaying gently, and the occasional shimmer of sunlight breaking through the canopy. Rikuya stepped lightly, taking it all in. He wasn't in a rush. For the first time in decades, he had no war to win. No ring. No duel.
Just steps forward.
Then—
rustle.
A quick shuffle of leaves nearby.
Rikuya paused, eyes narrowing.
Suddenly, a small creature burst from the underbrush in a blur of motion and landed with a confident thud on the trail ahead.
It was… a rabbit?
But not quite.
Its fur was rough and bark-like, its claws long and hardened like sharpened roots. Two horn-like wooden nubs curved from its brow, and its beady black eyes were locked on Rikuya like it was sizing up a worthy opponent.
"Hey, Sena," Rikuya said calmly, tilting his head. "What is that?"
"Ooh!" Sena zipped beside him, a tiny screen blinking to life beside her. "That's a Barkfang Rabbit—Forest Bunny.
---
[Barkfang Rabbit]
Type: Beast
Grade: Common
Threat Level: Low
Description:
A tough, scrappy rabbit with hardened wooden claws and bark-like fur, adapted to fight predators head-on in the wild forest. Despite its small size, it's highly territorial and won't back down from a challenge. Often underestimated—usually a mistake.
Rikuya raised an eyebrow. "A rabbit... with melee type stats?"
"Yup!" Sena chirped. "Welcome to the new world, where even bunnies want to throw hands."
The Barkfang Rabbit growled—a low, guttural sound far too serious for something so small—and crouched into a stance.
Rikuya exhaled through his nose. "Cute."
He cracked his neck once, then stepped forward.
"Let's see what counts as a 'fight' around here."
The Barkfang Rabbit crouched low, eyes blazing with intent. It launched forward, claws swiping at the air like deadly daggers.
Rikuya didn't move a muscle, calmly observing the attack. With a light shift, he stepped to the side, letting the rabbit zip past.
"Not bad. But predictable."
Sena appeared beside him, her voice a blend of excitement and curiosity. "Rikuya-sama, it's going for the charge again! Do you want me to activate your Perfect Replication now?"
Rikuya glanced at the rabbit, which had now turned and was rushing back with its skull reinforced, preparing for another headbutt.
"Let's wait a bit," Rikuya mused. "I want to see what else it has."
The rabbit growled and lunged with a powerful charge, aiming its skull straight at Rikuya. The headbutt was aimed directly at his torso, the force behind it enough to stagger anything that tried to block it.
Rikuya simply stepped back, avoiding the attack effortlessly. The rabbit crashed into the dirt, leaving a small crater.
"Feisty," Rikuya muttered.
It wasn't done yet.
The rabbit twisted and then spun rapidly, its claws and body flashing in the air. It landed with the grace of a predator, followed by a Thorn Kick—a powerful, thorny-infused kick that could cause bleeding damage if it landed.
Rikuya barely had time to think. He sidestepped, feeling the rush of the kick brush past him, but it left a trail of prickling pain on his arm where it grazed him. He clenched his teeth, recognizing that this was more than just a cute bunny.
"Interesting. That kick's got power. Let's see if I can get a better look."
The rabbit wasn't done. It followed up with a series of rapid swipes, its claws flashing like streaks of lightning, followed by a sudden darting bite. Each attack was fast, aggressive, designed to overwhelm.
Rikuya dodged each move with ease, his body fluid, instinctive—his experience made this a dance, not a fight. But the rabbit wasn't going to stop, continuously lashing out with its Wild Combo.
"You're persistent. I'll give you that," Rikuya mused, finally stepping forward and tapping the rabbit's head lightly with his foot.
WHAM.
The force of the kick sent the rabbit flying back, its small body smacking into a tree with a satisfying thud. It crumpled to the ground, dazed, twitching but still conscious.
Rikuya sighed, dusting off his hands. "Alright, you've earned it."
"Perfect Replication."
The words left his mouth with purpose. Golden lines flickered across his vision as Sena cheered.
"You're activating it now? Let's see what happens!"
---
[Perfect Replication Successful]
Skills Acquired:
Bark Bash – Evolved
Thorn Kick – Evolved
Wild Combo – Evolved
---
As Rikuya focused on the skills, a new wave of energy surged through him. The skills weren't just replicated—they were evolved into something suited perfectly for his human body.
---
[Evolved Skills:
[Perfected Bark Bash]
Charges forward with exceptional precision, utilizing the user's enhanced strength to deliver a devastating headbutt that can break through defenses. Deals immense blunt force damage and stuns the target for a short duration.
[Perfected Thorn Kick]
Delivers a thrusting kick infused with thorny energy that erupts into a burst of jagged spikes on impact. Causes heavy bleeding damage over time and disorients the target, slowing their movement.
[Perfected Wild Combo]
A rapid series of precise strikes: two to three hits, each enhanced with focused force and critical strike potential. Each strike has a chance to disarm or stagger the target, with a high chance of a critical hit or bonus effect depending on user's stats.
---
Rikuya clenched his fist, feeling the power of these newly evolved skills. "Impressive... These are far more refined than the rabbit's original versions. Perfected for human use."
Sena beamed. "That's the power of your Perfect Replication! It evolves the skills to fit your human body perfectly!"
Rikuya nodded thoughtfully, turning his gaze back to the still-dazed rabbit, which was struggling to get up.
"Well, let's see what happens when I use them."
The Barkfang Rabbit lunged in a blur of claws and desperation, aiming straight for Rikuya's chest.
But Rikuya didn't flinch.
His foot shifted—low and sharp.
SWOOSH—CRACK!
A clean leg sweep cut the rabbit's momentum short. Its body flipped violently mid-air, completely caught off guard.
Before it could even hit the ground, Rikuya stepped in with two sharp boxing jabs.
Thud. Thud.
One to the ribs. One to the jaw. The rabbit reeled.
"[Perfected Wild Combo]."
His fists blurred. One—two—three.
Each strike landed with laser precision and devastating weight, targeting weak points with lethal intent. The first blow cracked bone. The second left a shockwave rippling through the rabbit's bark armor. The third smashed it to the ground with staggering force.
Stunned, disarmed, broken.
Rikuya exhaled slowly, his eyes calm.
"[Perfected Thorn Kick]."
He stepped forward, lifting one leg—and drove his heel forward like a spear.
THOOM—!
A burst of thorned energy exploded from the impact point as the kick connected with the rabbit's chest. Spikes erupted outward, ripping through flesh and armor. The creature spasmed violently as its body was flung backward, blood spraying into the grass in a crimson arc.
It landed with a thud—and didn't move again.
[Target Eliminated]
Sena floated beside him, blinking wide-eyed. "You killed it clean… That combo was overkill, Rikuya-sama!"
He exhaled, rolling his shoulder.
"If you're going to fight… end it decisively."
He glanced down at the rabbit's body. No joy, no cruelty—just the quiet calm of a man who had fought far worse.
"Let's keep moving."