"What the…"

Before I could properly respond I was already running in the opposite direction of the rampaging sheep, or ram would actually be more appropriate as two big curving horns accompanied it.

The beast eyes were red screaming madness, while white foam was frothing from its mouth.

Seeing that the ram stood shoulder height of me I knew I had no chance in combating this foe, especially since my only weapon the whip wouldn't be able to penetrate its thick wool coat.

So all I could do was run.

There was just one problem, the beast was fast. Quickly closing the distance, and having no place to hide, I was screwed.

Knowing a confrontation was inevitable, I decided to stand my ground and fight, although I couldn't penetrate its wool armor, I could at least try to aim for its eyes hopefully injuring it enough that it would leave me alone.

Clenching the whip in my hand I was prepared for the coming charge and readied my self.

Now I wasn't going to fight it head on as that would be stupid, but was going to employ the same tactic as with the slime's, dodge and counter attack.

So when the ram was in striking distance I jumped to the left, but contrary to what I expected, the ram managed to follow my movements and headbutted.

The monster's movements launched me face first into the dirt. Luckily as I was in the air when it hit me, the transfer of momentum was only lessened.

But even the relatively light touch of the ram's powerful front was enough to ensure the impact knocked me a couple of meters back, crashing me against the side of a hill.

Having gone briefly unconscious and feeling the air knocked out of my lungs, I desperately gasped for air.

Due to the momentary disorientation I was almost to late to roll to the side for the ram's next charge.

With it's horns pointed down it crashed into the hill with full force.

*BOOM*

The crash created a loud deafening sound as if a landmine had being set off, and similarly their was now a small crater in the hill.

If I hadn't rolled out of the way quick enough I would have turned into mush, or at least broken every bone in my body.

Although it seemed a leech had fallen out of luck as it was in the crater on its back screeching as the lower part of its body was now pulp.

"BAA??"

The sheep wasn't doing so well either as it seemed to have suffered damage from its own reckless charge.

Swaying from left to right, it looked like a drunk as it was trying to stabilize itself.

Knowing this was my only chance to escape, I was stopped by the image of the screeching leech.

Realizing something, instead of running I went to the crater and picked up the dying leech.

With time being of the essence seeing the ram already regaining it's bearings I leaped towards it.

The ram although concussed saw me attacking and made another charge, having suspected this I grabbed one of it horns and used it as a platform to do a handstand before falling on its back.

Holding the horn for stabilization I attached the leech to the only part that wasn't covered in wool, the middle of its head.

"Please work, Please work"

The ram began moving sporadically trying to get me of its back and just as I was beginning to think my plan failed the sheep suddenly stopped and fell to the side.

My legs half buried under the mountain of wool I used some strength to push it off of me.

Cautiously circling around the sheep I could see that its eyes were still wide open, although looking a bit dull probably because it was placed in an illusion.

Seeing the scene it surprised me in more than one way. Not only could such a weak creature as the leech defeat such a tough opponent, but the leech who's lower half was previously severely injured was rapidly regenerating in front of my eye's.

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"I wish I had that power", although I didn't think anything was broken, I felt like shit. But knowing the battle wasn't over, I went to grab the whip I had dropped mid battle.

Using the whip as a rope, I rolled over the ram and tied all four of its hoves together and began dragging it away.

....

15 minutes later.

I was now stood in front of a lake, the sheep was next to me still alive and probably kicking in its illusion.

The ram had 2 more leeches on its face that I encountered on the way here, to I make sure it couldn't escape.

I had also used the other whip to tie up its legs making it extra secure, it had no chance of getting free even if it were to wake up now.

Knowing this I began killing the leeches on its face one by one.

Having killed the last one, like a timer that went off the sheep immediately woke and began thrashing around once it saw my face.

Looking at me with hate filled ruby eyes, I couldn't help but let a menacing smile creep on my face.

Getting bored by its struggle I put my foot on its body and kicked it, making it fall into the pond, with the only thing to await it there being the watery abyss.

Knowing that wool didn't provide buoyancy and with it's legs tied up the ram sank to the bottom like a rock, unable to get up.

Bubbles were the only evidence of its futile struggle.

After 5 minutes of waiting, the bubbles stopped and I knew it was done, a few seconds later and it was confirmed by the system.

[You have slain Lvl15 {Rabid mountain sheep}]

The smile was now long wiped from my face, to be honest I was finding my actions quite strange, first I though it was simply the thrill or battle that made me excited…..however that theory was disproven by the battle just now.

There was no reason for me to feel excited over killing a practically helpless animal, which led to only two conclusions, maybe I enjoyed killing powerful enemies? or I was simply a psychopath?

Both possibilities mused in my mind for a while, with me reaching the eventual conclusion that I couldn't care enough to find out.

Even though one option was objectively worse than the other, in my mind they were the same, and it wasn't like I was going to actively seek out creatures to kill just for my personal enjoyment, No there would always be a reason for it.

And this time it turned out to be self defense.

Returning my attention to the sheep at the bottom of the pond which was only 2 meters deep or so, I felt like I had learned valuable information about the trial.

With number 1 being that two different species of monsters and probably more can exist in the same area, and number two being that these beasts weren't necessarily friendly with each other otherwise, the leech would have never trapped the sheep in its illusion.

The last piece of information was especially valuable otherwise the trial would be a whole lot harder when there were multiple species in the same area.

Feeling satisfied with my findings I dove to the bottom of the pond retrieving the whip's from the sheep's ankle. Sadly the ram had dropped no item.

Even though the thought of eating the sheep was tantalizing, knowing I had no way to skin or cook it, I left the carcass.

Looking in the distance I could now see that the mountain wasn't barren but had a lushes forest surrounding it, even at its base.

It was also flat at the top making it look more like a volcano, although no smoke was rising.

Feeling it would only take me two or more day's to reach, I began making progress again, except this time trying to steer clear of the rabid sheep.

When I met a sheep again, this time I was hidden behind a hill and observed it until it passed far away enough that I could go without being spotted, luckily it seemed they didn't have great eye sight.

When the first night came I didn't sleep fearing an ambush in the night. So instead I continued moving, In the dark my progress was extremely slow because my vision was limited, and being cautious of an attack the entire time was mental draining.

So the next night I decided to sleep. Seeing that sheep didn't go up hills I chose one and cleared the entire area around it, making the wild grass seem like it had being mowed to perfection.

I then bundled up all the grass and covered myself with it hoping it would act as camouflage, and luckily it did.

The leeches also turned out to not be as much of an issue, as the further I traveled the less of them I encountered.

This likely correlated to the increase of sheep in the area, which in my opinion made sense, since if these creatures weren't friendly with one another and with the sheep able to easily trample them, while their wool coat protects them from falling into an illusion, it was only natural to see less of them.

The increase in sheep did become a bit of a predicament, but being patient and moving cautiously seemed to do the trick, as currently I was hiden behind a hill looking at the forest that surrounding the mountain about 200 meters ahead of me.

My only problem being the 30 sheep that were resting along this border from grassland to forest.

The sheep left about a 50 meter distance between each of them, leaving me no openings to slip through.

Having monitored them for about an hour I finally came up with a plan.

"UGH, this is gonna hurt".

And just as I said that I made a mad dash for the forest in between two resting sheep.

As soon as I came into view I immediately attracted their attention, making their eye's which were previously a regular brown color red while foam started leaking out of there mouths.

Standing up the rams charged in my direction, already expecting this I continued heading straight, continuously inching closer towards the forest.

A ram was about to strike me, with only having 20 or so meters before I reached the forest I jumped over the ram.

And much like the first time instead of letting me pass at the last second it moved its horns hitting me in the back.

"AAGH, Ahh FUCK!"

Until know this had all being part of my plan, except for the scream and curse words but otherwise the plan went smoothly.

Being hit I was propelled towards the forest, while the sheep had to turn around to charge at me again.

Landing from the impact I performed a somersault and continued running.

With significant distance between us I made it safely into the forest.

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[Trial panel]

Duration: 10 days & 8:24:12

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