Ch 4

Fear of the bunny

Everyone was a mess. Rufas was tripping over every branch and sometimes nothing at all, Ember kept bumping into Roger and Tig would not stop checking his tablet for more info on killer bunnies muttering that there had to be more info. The team did not get more than 50 feet in before Roger made the call to regroup and get their heads in the game “Rufas growing up how many dire rats did we have to fight that where level one?” Roger asked trying to get him to understand that this is not the first time he's been under leveled. “Dude that was everyday if we wanted to eat.” Rufas said with a confused look on his face. “Ember from the way you hold that staff I am sure you have spent hours planning and training to fight am I right?” moving his attention to Ember who was trying to hide behind Rufas understanding what was going on. “ Yea I guess.” her voice was quite clearly showing that she is embarrassed by her own actions of trying to hide.

“ Tig even if these mobs are higher level you are the best handler there is for new divers. Has that changed by the fact that we are in the tower?” Roger walked up to Tig holding his hand out for the tablet. It still showed the report for the bunnies; it seems they were reported to run in pairs. One coming from the front and the other looping around to the back, there was a note that they lost their leader who was the same class as Tig from the first attack he also was in the back. “See you are already working on getting us into the right formation knowing that this will not work so let us hear it, whats the plan.” Roger took control and forced everyone to stop reacting and start acting “what is, just is no need to get worked up right?” ERron chimed in, putting words to the action Roger was taking. “Umm yea that's right they kept running the simple 1:2:1 formation, what we need to do is 2:1:1 range and shield up front to block the charge and attack at the same time where the one in the back holds off the ambush and center switches where they are needed. So the new formation is going to be Rufas and myself in the middle is Ember and Roger you will be in the back. Sorry I know you do not have any defence items or even a weapon but we need to have Ember be ready if both show up in the front.”

Tig's voice got more and more confident as he spoke. “Don't worry if you start to get pummeled just yell I’ll bail you out” Ember said clearly feeling more like her self winking at Roger at the end. Moving forward the group looked like they have done this together many times before, Ember checking both the sides and to make sure Roger did not get ambushed and dragged off. Sitting in the middle of the road was a bunny the size of a small bear. Snow white with red eyes it’s bubblegum pink nose twitching. It looked like just the smaller version super cute making you just want to cuddle it, it made a small hop towards the team as it landed 2 more shot out of the bushes that flanked them one crashing into Roger the other being dodged by Ember. Tig fired his crossbow at the one blocking the path “ Rufas keep to the plan I will support the others the best I can!” Cocking back his crossbow and sparing there frontline into gear. Rufas let out a bellow and charged the fluffy bunny. Roger was pined down under the weight of his mob holding on to its floppy ear to keep its mouth away from him its mouth was filled with teeth closer to a shark than bunny. The fur was getting harder to hold onto the sweat from his fear, making his hand slip as the bunny shook its jumbo size head. Snapping forward to chomp on Rogers face it was met with a strike from Embers staff sparks flying off when it struck. The force from the hit mixed with the surprise gave Roger enough space to force himself out and get to his feet turning to face the rabbit. The casual stance Roger took made him look as if he was lazing about not in a fight where his life was on the line. The only thing that showed though at a glance that he was ready was the look in his eyes, they shown a murderous intent his whole arua was dripping with killing intent. His fighting style was to dodge at the last moment so he needed to stay loose. When the ball of fuzz and teeth changed and jumped at Roger he was ready, diving under it twisting as he did so, kicking it in the chest using both its momentum and size to his advantage. The snap of its ribs was loud enough to hear, it flipping over and sliding into a tree. It slowly got to its feet just as Rufas was sent flying by smacking into a tree himself followed by Tig and Ember right behind him. All 3 bunny’s were standing in between Roger and his his team “I’m sure you know this but umm this does not look good man” ERon helpfully added. Roger would have to fight differently then what he was used to, normally he waited for his attacker to try to strike this would spell his doom, he was out numbered and under leveled for this fight. Growing up in the slums it was not the first time he faced these kinds of odds just, just a vastly different type of opponent. He scanned the area looking for anything he could use to his advantage not finding anything. “It looks like you are going to have to do this the hard way man”. ERron was scanning his memories pausing on the one where he fought off 4 dire rats. It was the first time he had to truly fight for his life and he almost failed he took down 3 of them and had to be saved by Rufas taking down the 4 slamming a hammer down on its face. He had came a long way since then, he steeled his nerves and charged at the bunny that had the most crossbow bolts sticking out of it. They were stuck in its face not able to push though it’s skill lacking the power it was only a level one weapon with no enchantments to help it push though the thick bone. Dodging one that reacted before he could reach his target he took the opportunity to strike the bunny’s hip with a elbow spinning to add force he felt it push the bone out of socket disabling the mob. The small victory was short lived taking a kick from the first rabbit he faced it did not have the power it would have if it was uninjured, not to say it was not a powerful attack. It sent him flying turning up dirt. They were timid to try to attack was there first mistake digging deep Roger got to his feet. He had a smile on his face this is what he wanted to fight and get stronger he could not overtake Jake Tammer without being pushed beyond his limits. “You really are stubborn. Now that gives me something I could work with, I’ve scanned there movements the one on the left is Going to slip into the bushes and try to flank you let him go right the center one is on its last leg.” ERron was being truly helpful this time charging forward Roger noted that the one on the left jumped into the bushes and the center one was moving sluggish being full of crossbow blots out was not surprising that it was on its last leg. The one on the right was slow to react due to its right back leg being out of socket it tried to jump at him and stumbled leaving its neck and exposed Roger took full advantage and stomped on its wind pipe, turning to the center one. “You have 45 seconds until the other one jumps on your back my advice is finish this quick”ERon was not without his normal sarcasm it was just more helpful. Charging at him with only one of the open the wounded bunny gave him an idea he sat in wait using his normal tactics striking out at the last seconds with an open palm pushing an bolt deeper hearing a pop as he did so. It was not enough the bunny was still on its feet blood dripping out of its ears staining its white coat. “And here comes the ambush it was nice knowing you” ERron reminded him about the other one just in time leaving roger to duck under the attack. The bunny being in air could not stop the attack and landed on to the face of the first one pushing all the bolts down and being stabbed by the ends of them. Pushing it self off of its now dead cohort blood was pouring out of wounds it turned to face Roger only to get a bolt to the eye dropping it dead. Tig was barely standing holing the crossbow with both hands Ember was a mess her left arm was hanging limply at her side she was bleeding badly from a gash on the side of her head she would need stitches Rufas was still unconscious laying at the base of the tree they all smashed into. “Shit man you look rough.”Tig said to Roger bring his attention back to himself. He was bleeding all over and it would be easier to point out what was not bruised then what was, he had at least 6 broken ribs and could not open his right eye.

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Floor cleared

Rewards are waiting in the safe zone

First clear title awarded

Unique path open

No one in the group has ever heard of a title before, even Tig with his vast amount of knowledge he has gathered on almost everything that had to do with the system. Being stumped twice in one day did not react well with Tig his jaw was just hanging open seemingly staring off into space rereading his Ai screens. “First it was the bunnies, now its titles and unique paths only 3 unique paths have ever been documented and they all are team leads.I am starting think we might be cursed, blessed or both” tig was talking fast he was a mix of scared and excited “we get to reenter our mind scape inside of the tower and our AI will show us our unique paths along with explaining what it means.” he said reading off his tablet again. Everyone that had a unique path brought something new into the world from the system Tammer brought the world's first soul bound weapons before him the last one was the monster tamer. Where the tamer has been copied a few times none of them were identical the last was the first diver nothing is recorded on what she brought into this world there are rumors that the AI themselves was the gift that the system gave her for the ever first clear. Making it to the safe room was a dull affair, a white door with a male bathroom symbol sitting in the middle of a clearing was the entrance to the safe room. It looked even more out of place due to the fact that it was just the door seemingly to nowhere it was not attached to anything. Tig being the only one to ever see anything like before was the only one to keep walking as they all saw the door. “Alright I had to have hit my head harder than I thought I did, Tig do you not see the door just sitting there?” Roger asked dumbfounded trying to understand what he was looking at. “ Oh that’s just the entrance to the same room. I kinda forgot you guys have not cleared a level before it pulls a random door way and copies it. My first time it was at an iron gate.” Tig never stopped moving, getting right up to the door “ So are you guys just going to stand there or can we claim our reward and talk about our next move?” Tig asked the group with a grin that showed he was missing a few teeth from the fight. “ We did just do something amazing after all we beat the unbeaten floor and open up new paths! Come on guys you got to be dying to know what our rewards are going to be!” Tigs excitement was pouring out of him every word came out louder than the last till he was screaming. Pushing the door open a blinding light made then all close their eyes.