Sofia, a girl with hair the color of the night sky, walked through a field of clover, surrounded by her companions. In her hands lay a small white hare - this was Alexander’s new disguise. She stroked him gently, despite the tense situation around her. Those who died with skills posed a real threat to everything around them.

Walking next to me was Ivan, a guy with dark short hair and a serious expression on his face. His muscular body tensed with every rustle, and his eyes tirelessly scanned the surroundings. He was wearing green pants and a white T-shirt that was stained with blood.

- Stop coddling him! Watch the situation! - Ivan hissed at Sofia. While he was anxiously looking around, his hand involuntarily squeezed the hilt of the dagger.

While Ivan was always on the alert, ready for battle, Andrei, a thin young man with long blond hair, had a softer and more thoughtful character. His appearance was adorned with fancy ornaments, giving him an air of mystery. He stopped, frozen, and closed his eyes, as if listening to something invisible.

- I don’t feel anything yet. The surge was definitely here, but I don’t feel anything at all. “It’s all strange...” he said, his voice sounded calm, but there was a certain concern in it.

The trio continued their path through the clover field, each immersed in their own thoughts and feelings. Sofia, despite Ivan’s warnings, continued to console and stroke Alexander the hare, whose little heart was beating at a breakneck speed. Alexander was not afraid, but there was excitement in him. The girl was sure that in this new world each of them needed support. Alexander, despite his new small form, carefully observed the people around him.

Alexander, in the tender embrace of Sofia, reflected on his new position. He felt a strange peace from her caresses, although inside him the thoughts and feelings of a man trapped in the body of a hare were raging.

- So, they don’t understand me, my words turn into a squeak for them. Attempts at communication failed... Although this is good. - he thought, remembering how his attempts to express indignation only frightened Sofia. - Made the girl worry with his indignations. In this case, I could draw or write something, but what's the point? Now, while I am a bunny, they will not abandon me, but they may treat a person who is in the body of a hare differently. Ivan is very suspicious and might just kill me...

Suddenly, Andrei stopped and raised his hand, causing everyone to freeze. Ivan instantly squatted down on one knee, putting his blade forward, ready to fight. Sofia, instinctively reacting to the change in the situation, pressed Alexander to her chest. For Alexander in the body of a hare, this was a surprisingly pleasant sensation, despite the absurdity of the situation.

- I'm not a pervert, but this attitude is incredibly pleasant. - he thought as his heart beat in time with Sophia's heartbeat.

In silence, broken only by the rustle of clover underfoot, the trio remained in tense anticipation. Ivan cast a fleeting glance at his comrade. Andrey, with his acquired gift, pointed the direction.

- There! Powerful burst of energy! - His voice sounded confident, but with a hint of concern.

Ivan, the leader of the group, immediately took command.

- Go ahead and don’t relax! Sophia, let this big-eared guy go! You need both hands to attack! - his voice was cruel and decisive. He turned away and ran in the direction indicated, ending the conversation

- Well, why are you bothering? He's a bunny, a small animal. Cute! where will I put it? - objected Sofia, running after her comrades, but still holding Alexander. She was confused, not knowing what to do with the little hare at such a critical moment.

- Throw him the fuck out! - Ivan shouted angrily over her shoulder. - Attention! Dyusha, is this it?

- Yes! Powerful energy! From this person. - Andrei confirmed, pointing to the raging gray haze, in the center of which a human figure could be seen.

“Sorry, Businka, you can’t come with us...” Sofia whispered with regret, carefully placing the white hare on the stone. She then ran towards her comrades, preparing for the upcoming confrontation.

Alexander was left alone. He sat alone on a stone, watching the trio move away. In the distance he saw a Man without Skin, surrounded by a gray haze - the souls that he needed. Realizing that this could be his chance to return to his human form, Alexander, in the body of a hare, decisively jumped after his companions. His little heart beat in anticipation and excitement for the unknown that lay ahead.

While Alexander, in his new guise as a hare, quickly tried to catch up with his companions, his mind was full of thoughts and plans. He analyzed his current condition and the possibilities that could help him in this difficult situation.

- So, what I have... The storage of souls is empty. My soul, as I feel it, is a remnant of my past self and it does not produce excess in any form. The gifts and the card remained in place, but it turns out that even the card requires recharging the soul in order to use it. This means that now I have nothing at all with which I could inflict at least some damage to souls. By the way, what souls does he manipulate? Maila raised all the souls and gave them a second chance... - he thought, rushing through the clover field.

When Alexander approached the haze, he discovered that it did not consist of souls, as he had assumed, but of ashes - particles of destroyed souls. This discovery made him look at the situation in a new way.

- That's how... What if I can absorb the power from these scattered pieces... - this thought arose in his head, filling him with hope. With this new idea, Alexander continued on his way, getting closer and closer to the border of the ash fog.

Also along the way, the bunny could watch the battle. Alexander noted and admired the skill and strength of his companions. The skinless man, terrifying in appearance, was a powerful adversary. His bare muscles, from which blood oozed, created a repulsive and frightening sight.

While Sofia, whom Alexander knew as tender and caring, suddenly showed herself from a completely different side. She released a wave of cold from her hands, instantly turning the Skinless Man into an ice sculpture. By maintaining a cold flow, she kept the enemy frozen. Slowly walking around it, trying to cover it with ice from all points.

Ivan, as if possessing the strength of a heavyweight, rushed into the attack. The step became heavier, leaving deep marks on the clover. A hemisphere formed in front of his body, which crashed into the Skinless Man with a deafening roar. The creature flew to the side, and pieces of flesh tore off from it. But the enemy quickly recovered and, rising heavily, attacked in response.

At this critical moment, Andrei took on the role of commander. Thanks to his skill, he could do something else.

- Sophia, to the right, Ivan to the left, five steps! - he shouted. His comrades reacted instantly, escaping the deadly attack. Bloody peaks burst out of the ground, as if on command, where Sofia and Ivan had just stood. They miraculously escaped death. More precisely, thanks to Andrey.

Alexander, in the body of a hare, watched this exciting scene, realizing that each of his companions had unique abilities that made them a powerful team. He, small and defenseless in his current form, was acutely aware of his vulnerability and at the same time the thirst to become normal again, to restore his human form and regain his strength.

Entering the ashen fog, Alexander stopped at its border, ready to flee in case of unforeseen dangers. He fell into deep thought, trying to figure out how to use these tiny and scattered particles floating in the air. The power of the soul was supposed to be hidden in them.

“Okay, well, let’s try...” he whispered under his breath, but it came out as a squeak. Alexander listened carefully to his feelings, feeling the touch of the wind and the humidity of the air. He felt a familiar echo - the power of the soul, which, although in minimal quantities, was still present in the air.

- Yeah, as I thought! Now all I have to do is figure out how to absorb it... - Alexander thought. He tried to attract these particles to himself in various ways: calling, wishing, and using other mental forms, but without success. Previously, he could use his own soul powers for manipulation, but now this was not the case.

He then decided to use his body as a magnet for these particles. Alexander began to actively jump, trying to catch them on his skin, but they also did not stay on him. Sighing desperately and sneezing from the ash that got into his nose, he was suddenly struck by a new idea.

- Or maybe... - Alexander opened his hare mouth wide and began to suck in air, as if trying to drink it around him. This unusual action, to his surprise, brought results. Once in his body, the particles became more obedient, and Alexander was able to manipulate them, little by little filling his storage of souls.

This moment became a turning point for Alexander. Feeling every particle flow into him, he began to realize that his chance of returning to his true form was becoming more and more real. He continued to inhale the ashen air, feeling his inner strength gradually recover.

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The battle, meanwhile, between the trio of Forsaken and the Skinless Man reached incredible intensity. The battlefield was filled with tension and adrenaline, with each participant demonstrating outstanding skill and strength.

Sofia, controlling her ice powers, continued to attack the Skinless Man. Her mystical waves of cold were emitted with even greater intensity, enhancing the effect of icy imprisonment of the enemy. This made it possible to slow down and sometimes even immobilize the enemy.

Ivan, whose physical strength and resilience were impressive, attacked the enemy again and again, creating force fields in front of him to defend and attack. His powerful blows caused significant damage to the enemy, despite his ability to quickly recover. The guy was sure that with perseverance they could win

- Let's! We can pick apart this piece of meat with legs!

Andrei, armed with a dagger and his intuition, maneuvered around the Skinless Man, looking for weak spots and coordinating the actions of his comrades. His shouts of command and warning helped him avoid fatal blows and effectively counterattack.

The skinless man, despite his injuries, continued to fight with despair and rage. His ability to recover and manipulate blood attacks made him a dangerous and unpredictable opponent. His every maneuver was filled with cruelty and bloodlust. Every now and then spears burst out of the ground, passing within a centimeter of the Rejected.

The battle was filled with chaos and fury, every blow and maneuver was critical. All three, Sofia, Ivan and Andrey, used all their potential and skills to resist the power of the Skinless Man, trying to find a way to finally defeat him. They were a team whose strength lay in their mutual support and ability to complement each other in battle.

Alexander, armed with newfound power from the collected soul shards, prepared for his moment of entry into battle. Having been taught the technique of compressing souls by an undead cat, he gratefully remembered her lesson, which now came to his aid. He created ephemeral hands in his soul and began to squeeze scattered particles with them. Thus, he formed the first full-fledged soul in his soul storage. He felt it like a drop in the ocean, but it was a significant step forward.

In this moment of triumph, he felt that something unusual was happening in the air. The skinless man began to create physical images of the three warriors using the ash mist. The fog thickened, forming opponents who became more and more tangible. All the ashes in the area were concentrated at one point.

Ivan, realizing the threat, rushed forward, creating a protective hemisphere in front of him and hit the ash, but his attack missed, only slightly shaking the cloud of ash, after which the process continued

Alexander, realizing that the trio now faced four opponents, realized that one of them - the Man Without Skin - was within his capabilities. He could defeat it, and most importantly, this creature was a puppet master and by killing it, he could end the entire battle. In his current form as a hare, Alexander possessed sharp teeth that, when fueled by the power of the soul, could become a deadly weapon against the defenseless Skinless Man.

With these thoughts, full of determination and new strength, Alexander galloped into the very epicenter of the battle. He was ready to use his new abilities to obtain souls for restoration, entering the most decisive moment of the battle.

The Ash Warriors, who took the form of medieval knights with swords, behaved unpredictably in their changing ash forms. Sofia, quickly reacting to the situation, directed a wave of cold at them, temporarily immobilizing their movements, but barely managed to dodge the sudden attack of the Skinless Man thanks to Andrei's warning. Her technique was interrupted and the warriors scattered to the sides, making it impossible to stop them with one attack.

Ivan, not discouraged by the failures, again tried to attack the ashen warriors with his power, creating a hemisphere in front of him. However, this blow did not bring the expected result, without causing noticeable damage to the enemies. He simply ran around, slowing them down only slightly as it took time to regain their shape.

Alexander, having jumped to the Skinless Man, realized that his short stature in the guise of a hare did not allow him to reach the vital areas of the enemy. He quickly assessed his surroundings and noticed a stone tree nearby. This was his opportunity - if he could climb onto it, he would gain a height advantage that would allow him to make the decisive jump onto the Skinless Man.

- And there it’s not far from the neck!

With this plan in mind, Alexander confidently walked towards the stone tree, using his agility and speed. His intention was clear: climb the tree, gain height, and use the moment of surprise to attack the Skinless Man using his sharp teeth, enhanced by the power of his soul.

At this second the critical moment came. Alexander was halfway up the rocky tree when Andrei made a desperate attempt to attack the Skinless Man with a dagger. The blow was strong, but not enough to pierce the enemy's skull. In response, the Skinless Man inflicted a terrible laceration on Andrei with his claws, throwing him to the side. One of the ash warriors immediately rushed to the defeated guy.

Sofia, seeing the danger, screamed and, with the help of her frosty abilities, began to slow down the movement of the ashen warrior, but in doing so she exposed herself to the blow. Ivan, not having time to come to the rescue, was forced to watch as Sofia lost her arm and fell to the ground in agony. The Ash Warrior simply cut it down as if it were a small twig. Ivan, like a meteor, began to run across the battlefield, trying to knock the ashes off the soldiers and prevent them from recovering. He could not do this for long, but this was the only way he could hinder the soldiers and give his comrades time to recover.

Alexander, having climbed a tree, quickly assessed the situation and realized that his comrades were attacking the wrong opponents, wasting their strength. He shook his head in disappointment at the stupidity of people.

- You'll have to do everything yourself! - he decided.

At that moment, the Skinless Man began to wave his arms, spraying blood to create bloody spikes that could kill two of the trio. It was then that Alexander made his decisive leap. While flying, he concentrated all the power of his soul into his small teeth, making them longer and more deadly. Energy flowed from his chest into his mouth, where it wrapped around his front teeth and became sharp. With amazing precision, he bit the Skinless Man on the neck, breaking his concentration and disrupting his skill. Blood sprayed into Alexander's mouth as he bit through the jugular vein.

The Skinless Man's scream cut through the air, echoing throughout the area. The bloody lances that were aimed at Sophia and Andrey struck near them without causing harm. Alexander, with his unexpected and courageous action, saved the situation, demonstrating that even in the small body of a hare enormous power can be hidden. And it’s too early to write him off.

Sophia, seeing how the white bunny was fighting for her, could not contain her emotions.

- Hold on, little one! Ivan, help Businka! Ivan! - she shouted, watching the battle.

- Yes, I understood! - Ivan growled loudly, rushing into battle. With incredible speed, he hit the Skinless Man, sending him flying into a tree. The skinless man was bleeding heavily from the blow he had received. Alexander, in the form of a hare, fell to the ground, but Ivan immediately caught him and, without wasting time, delivered several more powerful blows to the enemy with his hemispheres. As a result, the Skinless Man fell, his death filling Ivan with souls for killing his enemy. The guy even threw his head back from the euphoria that filled him.

Alexander was angry at Ivan for taking his reward and that his efforts were in vain.

- You brute, you took my reward. Yes, I would have killed him even without you! - he cursed, but for Ivan it was just a funny squeak. Stroking the little hero's head, Ivan said with gratitude:

- I agree, eared one, you and I are a great team. And the shower was good. Well done.

As Alexander continued to grumble, the Skinless Man's body turned to dust and the ashen warriors scattered in the wind. Alexander exhausted almost the entire supply of collected soul particles for this attack. Sophia and Andrey, slowly rising, holding their wounds, smiled, feeling relieved from the victory.

- I told you, this bunny is simply necessary for our team! Let's leave him! And it is not discussed! - said Sophia, firmly standing her ground. A warm smile shone on her pale face, capable of melting the hardest heart.

- Let's leave it, let's leave it. But the name needs to be changed, what else is Bead?! Kusaka, that’s what we’ll call him... - Ivan added with a slight grin. Sophia was indignant, and Andrei laughed at the squabble of his comrades. It was a difficult battle, which ended unexpectedly and thanks to the white hare.