I hopped.
And hopped.
And hopped some more.
Following the path deeper into the Grandforest until it opened into a small clearing.
And right in the middle of it—
…Oh, hell no.
A massive animal. Or what was left of one. Its side was torn wide open, ribs sticking out like broken fence posts. The thing was still alive, barely, every breath a wet, rattling wheeze.
What is that thing!?
[It is a Wild Boar. An evolved species of Boar monster known for its aggression. It appears to have sustained critical injuries.]
That's a boar? That thing's huge! And what's it doing laid out in the middle of nowhere? Did it escape something even stronger?
I hesitated. Then another thought hit me.
Wait—was this a chance? The thing was already dying. Sure, it was big enough that one roll could turn me into roadkill, but still…
I mean, raw bacon beats raw rat. Right?
But before I could even continue that thought, I noticed movement.
Another shape crept from the underbrush. Smaller.
At first glance, it looked… Almost cute. Like a shrunken-down version of the big one. Tusks only short white spikes, legs stubby, ears flicking. But still bigger than me, and the way it walked—low, solid, heavy—it carried itself like it knew.
Aw, don't tell me… that's its kid?
[It is a Boarlet, a juvenile boar monster.]
It squealed, stomping its hooves just as another shadow burst into the clearing from the other side—
A deer. No, smaller. Shorter antlers, but sharp enough to do damage.
[That is a Small Stag. A juvenile deer monster.]
The two young beasts locked eyes, let out shrill cries—and slammed into each other.
Holy crap!
Tusks slammed into antlers with a loud crack.
The boarlet dug in, head down, charging again and again like a little tank. The stag danced around it, weaving sideways, stabbing with its short antlers whenever it saw an opening.
The stag moved fast—faster than the boarlet—hooves lashing out in sharp kicks that landed dull thuds across the boarlet's hide. It got in more hits, sure—but the boarlet just wouldn't stop. Every rush shook the ground, tusks gouging dirt as it forced the stag back step by step.
Then the stag slipped. Just a hoof catching in the churned-up earth.
That one mistake was all it took.
CRACK.
The boarlet's tusks smashed into its ribs, sending the stag rolling across the clearing. It scrambled up with a squeal, one leg bent wrong, tail clamped down tight as it limped for the trees.
The boarlet squealed too, but this time in triumph.
I swallowed hard.
Aw—awesome! Did I just witness a real fight between monsters!? Did you see that, System? The way the stag moved—so fast! And the boarlet, it only needed that one hit to turn it all around. That was like front-row seats to fight night: monster edition!
I grinned, heart still racing. Then my eyes flicked back to the boarlet.
Were you protecting your friend, little guy?
My ears drooped. For half a second, I almost felt sorry for it.
Then I noticed the drool.
Not tears. Drool.
The boarlet squealed, lowered its head—
CRACK.
It rammed straight into the Wild Boar's chest. Bone cracked like kindling. The big one let out a final choking grunt and collapsed.
The boarlet snorted happily and immediately began tearing into the corpse.
Holy—WHAT!? I slapped a paw over my mouth.
Were the two Disney mascots fighting over who gets to finish off the big guy!? What is this forest!?
My stomach growled. Loud. Obnoxious. The smell of fresh blood and torn meat made saliva pool in my mouth. My little rabbit body was practically bouncing on its hind legs in excitement.
I gagged. Oh god, stop it. Stop enjoying this!
The boarlet feasted for a while, then eventually snorted and trotted back into the treeline, belly round and satisfied.
I let out a shaky breath.
Okay… okay. He's gone. Maybe… maybe I can…
I crept forward, ears twitching, heart hammering. There was still meat left on the carcass. Not much, but plenty enough to—
The ground erupted.
A tide of squeaks and claws.
Rats.
Dozens of them, pouring out of the brush like liquid shadow, swarming over the boar's corpse. Their greasy fur bristled, teeth clattering as they clambered over one another for a scrap.
…You've gotta be kidding me.
There were so many of them—small ones, fat ones, scarred ones with bald patches—all fighting like lunatics for every strip of flesh. Their squealing echoed through the clearing, this horrible mix of hunger and fury.
And the worst part?
I couldn't look away.
My rabbit instincts were going wild—ears flicking, nose twitching, back legs tensing like they wanted to spring me straight into the frenzy.
My human brain screamed—Don't you dare. They'll eat you next. Don't you dare.
I pressed myself low in the brush, stomach twisting.
One by one, the fattest rats filled their bellies and scampered off into the trees. The swarm thinned. The squeals softened. Eventually, only scraps of scraps clung to the carcass.
That's when I saw it. A straggler.
It was small. Thin. Patchy fur. Tail half-bitten. Probably shoved out of the pack.
It squeaked pitifully as it nosed through what little remained, tugging on a dried tendon like it was a feast.
Nope. Nope nope nope. Him? That? Really!? I'll wait. I'll starve before I—
My gut let out another loud grumble.
Okay, maybe not starve, but still—
And my stomach growled again. Louder.
Alright!Alright! Mangled rat it is.
My fur bristled. My legs bent, muscles coiling.
…Here we go. First hunt.
I sucked in a breath and forced my thoughts into order. Status.
[Status]
Species: Lesser Horned Rabbit
Level: 1/10
HP: 30 | MP: –
Stats: Vit – F- | Str – F | End – F+ | Agi – E | Int – C- | Wis – F+ | Lck – E
Skills: [Bash Lv.1], [Minor Hop Lv.1]
Titles: [Guardian]
No matter how many times I see this thing, I still can't get used to it. It really is just like an RPG.
Two skills, huh? Not exactly overflowing with options here.
I flicked at the first one with my thoughts, and the words stretched into detail.
[Minor Hop Lv.1] – Focuses strength into the legs before leaping. Produces a longer jump with less strain than a natural hop.
I slid down to the next.
[Bash Lv.1] – A simple forward strike with the horn. Deals minor blunt/piercing damage.
…So. Longer jump and stronger stab. It wasn't much, but it was something. Enough to make a plan, at least.
Alright, System, I think I get what I've got here… but how exactly am I supposed to use these?
[Skills are refined instincts. To activate them, focus your intent. If it aids concentration, you may voice the skill's name.]
…So I just… think about it, and my body takes care of the rest?
[Correct.]
…Alright then. I closed the menu with a thought. Let's see if this body really knows what it's doing.
The rat was still busy picking at scraps, completely oblivious.
Another stomach growl rattled my ribs.
No more time.
The plan of action was simple enough: get within Minor Hop range, launch myself, hit it hard, and pray it doesn't turn around fast enough to bite my face off.
A simple Hit-and-Run—or was it Hit-and-Hop now? Doesn't matter. I saw how that boarlet turned momentum into power; I bet I could do the same.
I crouched low, ears pinned back, back legs coiled like springs. The moment I began focusing on Minor Hop, I could instantly feel the distance it would carry me—like a natural instinct.
Too far. I'd need to close the gap.
So I crept forward, belly brushing the dirt, every step slow and deliberate. The rat was still tearing at the carcass, completely unaware.
Closer. Just a little closer. My legs thrummed, every nerve screaming that I was finally in range.
[Minor Hop]
My body shot forward, spring-loaded legs launching me in a long arc. I hit the ground just beside the rat—its head snapping up too late—
[Bash]
My horn drove into its side with a wet crunch. The rat squealed, flung back a short distance, and collapsed, twitching.
My head rang from the impact. The feedback jolted through my skull, making me stagger on landing.
Owwww. Okay… okay, that's a concussion.
The rat twitched again, wheezing, dragging itself upright. It bared its yellow fangs, staggering toward me with murder in its eyes.
Oh, come on, just die already!
I lowered my head, legs braced, and lunged again.
[Bash]
CRACK.
This time the impact folded it in half. The rat let out a final squeal, then went still for good.
I stumbled back, chest heaving, horn sticky. My first kill. My legs shook like jelly, half from adrenaline, half from the fact that I'd actually done it.
…Holy crap. I just killed something.
A little notification flickered across my vision—
[Skill: Minor Hop → Lv.2][Skill: Bash → Lv.2][EXP Gained.]
―――――――――――――――――
[Level Up!][You have reached Level 2.][Attribute Point Gained][Skill Point Gained]
I blinked. Then slowly, shakily, a laugh bubbled out of me.
I… I did it. I killed a monster!
I looked down at the rat. My first real kill.
My stomach growled again. Louder.
…Right. Dinner.
I grabbed the rat by the scruff in my teeth and turned to hop back toward the road.
That's when I heard it.
Not squeals. Not claws.
Chittering.
A number of tiny clicks, rising and falling like some insect choir, coming from the shadows at the far end of the clearing.
The hair along my back shot straight up.
Nope. Nope nope nope. Don't even want to know.
I bolted. My legs carried me faster than thought, rat dangling from my jaws, heart slamming against my ribs. The clicking rose behind me, echoing through the trees.
I didn't look back. I didn't want to see what else that clearing attracted.