Ryu read the writing over and over again. This was a game. But the feeling when the branch hit the rabbit's head, the slight pain in his arm from the twig, and the still rapid beating of his heart—it's all real.
The thrill of victory, the thrill of danger, it all felt so real. Ryu held the coin and the leaf in his hand. He knew his boredom had been lifted.Replaced by a much deeper sense of curiosity, and a little anxiety.
However, before anxiety could truly take hold of him, a mass rustling was heard from all directions.Not just one, but five, six, seven... even more Forest Rabbits with glowing red eyes appeared from behind the bushes.
They growled, their long ears twitched, and their fangs looked terrifying in the sunlight that filtered through the forest canopy.They formed a semicircle around Ryu, enclosing him.
[Warning: Forest Rabbit Horde (Level 1-2). Medium Danger.]
The notification appeared, and it didn't take Ryu long to realize that this situation was much more serious than his first encounter.His heart was pounding, this time with real fear. This wasn't just a game anymore. This was a fight for survival.
"Damn it!" Ryu hissed. With his newly awakened Thief instincts, he quickly threw the coins and leaves into the pocket of his tutorial robe. His gaze moved quickly, searching for an opening, searching for something that could used.
That branch from earlier? Nothing. He was alone, in this strange forest, facing vicious creatures that looked like hellish versions of ordinary rabbits.
Three of the rabbits pounced simultaneously from the front. Ryu, with agility that surprised himself, jumped to the side, rolled on the moss-covered ground, and managed to avoid being hit.
He quickly got up, looking around. There was a fallen tree, its trunk thick enough to be used as a foothold.
Without hesitation, Ryu jumped onto the fallen tree trunk, giving him a slight height advantage. From there, he could see the entire horde.They growled beneath him, trying to jump to reach him. This was his chance. His cunning nature was working.
He saw a fist-sized rock not far from his position on the tree trunk. He jumped down, grabbed the rock, and quickly jumped back up.As the lead Forest Rabbit pounced, Ryu threw the rock with all his might right at its snout.
BUGH!!!
The rabbit collapsed, its head drooping, and its body immediately began to flicker before disappearing, leaving behind another loot bag.
[You have defeated: Forest Rabbit (Level 1)]
[XP Received: 10]
[Items Obtained: Gold Coin (x2), Rabbit Tooth (x1)]
Ryu didn't have time to be happy. The other rabbits were already trying to climb the tree trunk. He looked around again, looking for an opportunity.He saw a thick vine hanging from the branches of a tree above him.
Quickly, he grabbed it, pulled himself up, and swung to a higher tree branch, leaving the pack of rabbits below him howling in frustration.
Ryu let out a sigh of relief on a higher tree branch, his heart still pumping fast.From this height, he could see the horde of Forest Rabbits below him, hopping about in frustration, some trying in vain to climb the tree trunks.
He couldn't hide up here forever. Sooner or later, they would leave or find another way. He needed to deal with this problem, not just avoid it.
His cunning nature began to work. He surveyed his surroundings with the sharp eyes of a fledgling Thief. This forest, Whisperingwood, was a beginner's area, meaning there should be no threats that can't be overcome. There must be a way.
His gaze fell on something else: a thick vine that hung from the tree he was on, and wrapped around another, larger tree, about ten meters ahead.
Under the larger tree, there was a giant beehive hanging low from one of its branches.The fist-sized bees buzzed lazily, unaware of Ryu's presence. An idea came to his mind, bold and a little crazy.
"Okay, Ryu, this is a game," he muttered to himself, trying to convince himself, even though his whole body was screaming that it was real. "And in games, there's always a way."
He looked at the beehive again, then at the rabbits below. A thin, sly smile began to form on his face.
Without wasting any time, Ryu started to move. He jumped to another lower branch, then swung using the vine flew with surprising force, landing smoothly on the trunk of a large tree where the beehive was located. The bees buzzed even louder, disturbed by its presence.
The rabbits below, seeing Ryu move, growled again and tried to pounce. They began to gather under the tree where the beehive was hanging.
Ryu knew he had to act fast. He saw a small stone tucked into a gap in the tree trunk. He took it. With precise aim, like throwing a dart, Ryu threw the stone towards the beehive.
PRANG!!!
The hive shook violently. Immediately after, thousands of angry giant bees poured out of the hive, forming a black cloud that buzzed loudly.
They darted in all directions, but were mostly attracted to the closest and noisiest disturbance: a mob of Wood Rabbits gathered beneath a tree.
The rabbits were shocked. Their angry howls turned into shrieks of pain and confusion as the bees began to sting them mercilessly.
Some rabbits tried to escape, but the bees were much faster and more vicious.
One by one, the Forest Rabbits' bodies began to flicker and fade into pixels of bluish light, leaving their loot bags on the ground.
Ryu watched the scene from above, holding his breath. Within seconds, the area under the tree was cleared.There were only a few cloth bags and the remains of pixels evaporating in the air, and the sound of bees slowly buzzing back to their hive.
[You have defeated: Forest Rabbit Horde (x7)]
[XP Received: 70]
[Items Obtained: Gold Coin (x15), Rabbit Tooth (x7), Raw Rabbit Skin (x3)]
The notification appeared, and this time, Ryu smiled widely. His fear was replaced by euphoria and satisfaction.
He had overcome this problem, not with raw strength, but with cunning. This was the essence of being a Thief, and he loved it.