Chapter 7: Bunny Hunting for Dummies

The moment Leon woke up in the familiar meadows, he immediately stood up and scanned his surroundings with full vigilance. He was worried that the monster who’d killed him last time might be spawn camping nearby. But then again, he didn’t even know if he’d respawned in the same place or where he had died. Still, he wasn’t about to take any chances. Every muscle in his body was ready to flee the moment danger struck. As the seconds ticked by without a sign of enemies, Leon heaved a sigh of relief, realizing he was alone...for now. ’These meadows all look the same... I can’t even tell if I’ve respawned where I died or somewhere completely new.’ He raised his hand and tried summoning something from his inventory. A short sword appeared in his hand instantly, its sharp blade glinting beneath the bright sunlight. It’s handle was pure black and had the crest of Starlink Academy, a cluster of stars connected with a golden trail of light. A small smile tugged at Leon’s lips. ’Success.’ He had guessed that if he could bring the Energy Orb into the outside world through the inventory, then perhaps it worked the other way too, that he could bring items from the real world into the dungeon. He had tested it earlier with the standard-issue short sword given to all students, and it worked. Of course, he also tried storing his bed and food but no dice. That led him to conclude there was some restriction or weight limit on what could be stored. Still, weapons worked and that alone was a massive relief. He had no intention of bare-knuckle brawling with terrifying, oversized monsters again. "Time to hunt some rabbits," Leon muttered, his smile widening as he dashed in a random direction because let’s be honest, all directions looked the same anyway. Rolling hills stretched endlessly in every direction, blanketed with soft grass that danced under the caress of a gentle breeze. The sun hung high above, unmoving, casting warm golden light over the endless green. Leon moved carefully and kept his footsteps light. He didn’t want to attract any Floor Bosses that might be wandering outside their usual areas. In the game, bosses were restricted to territories, but this world clearly didn’t follow game mechanics strictly. The First Floor of the dungeon had three areas, and Meadows of Salar was just the first. Monsters here ranged from Tier 1 to Tier 2, though occasionally a Tier 3 monster would spawn as a hidden boss. As a weak Tier 1 Awakened, Leon had no business wandering around carefree. He even suspected that the monster who had killed him last time had been Tier 2, it was far too strong for a starting monster. Still, the Meadows were supposed to be filled with Tier 1 Crimson Rabbits. In the game, they were basically experience points with legs. ’And yet I almost died to the weakest one. How embarrassing.’ Just as he was thinking about it, he spotted movement in the distance, a familiar silhouette. The Crimson Rabbit. Leon’s smile returned as he crouched low and let the natural curves of the hills conceal his figure. He calmed his pounding heart and locked eyes on the beast, watching it with cold patience. It was feasting on another monster’s corpse, blood dripping from its fangs. Perfect. Without wasting another moment, he activated [Sprint Boost], and his speed instantly surged. The wind howled past his ears as he closed the distance in seconds. Sword in hand, Leon pounced at the rabbit’s exposed side. The Crimson Rabbit was too focused on its meal to notice his approach. Its fangs, still buried in the other creature’s flesh, were coated in blood, completely vulnerable. Leon didn’t hesitate. He drove the short sword into the base of one of the fangs. The blade sank into soft tissue, and with a swift punch, he ripped the fang free. A fountain of blood erupted as the monster let out a furious shriek. It finally reacted, its crimson eyes glowing with rage as it lashed out with a savage swipe. Leon spotted the fallen fang, grabbed it, and activated [Iron Skin]. His skin shimmered faintly as a metallic layer spread across his body. He wanted to focus it on his forearm but he hadn’t figured out how to direct the skill yet. So, he braced himself. The claws slammed into his forearm. To the rabbit’s surprise, its strike barely left scratches on Leon’s body. What it didn’t see, however, was the pain flooding Leon’s entire nervous system. The force had rattled his bones and sent shockwaves through his chest. If he hadn’t planted his feet properly, he would’ve been launched like a ragdoll. ’Fuck. Bunnies aren’t supposed to be this strong.’ His left arm went numb immediately but he grit his teeth and didn’t waste the chance. Gripping the fang, he rammed it into the rabbit’s soft belly. Like before, it cut through with ease. The rabbit let out a muffled noise before dissolving into light particles that faded into the air. Leon dropped to one knee, panting hard. He ignored the sharp pain crawling through his ribs and stared at the glowing orb that remained behind. He reached out to touch it, and just like before, it vanished on contact. [Energy Orb (Level 5) x1] ’That was only Level 5... and I still struggled to defeat it?’ Leon clicked his tongue in annoyance. ’If that thing wasn’t distracted by eating, I’d have taken serious damage. Maybe even died.’ His eyes fell on the half-eaten monster corpse the rabbit had been devouring. It hadn’t turned into light particles like the rabbit did. ’So it only happens if I kill the monster myself? Interesting... I can definitely use that.’ A new plan quickly formed in his mind. Grinning, he turned and dashed away from the area, just far enough to find a good vantage point. He crouched behind a large boulder and let the tall grass swallow his figure. His eyes narrowed. ’Now, I just need to wait for the smell of blood to do its job. Come here, bunnies...’