Several years had elapsed since the inception of the first rabbit minion. The humble nook by a small stream had burgeoned into a bustling village populated with DemiRabbits. Our focus now turns to the unfolding events outside the safety of the village walls.

Nestled in the verdant depths of the ancient forest, a grave battle was underway. On one side, the village's famed hunter, Rabbit HuntMaster, stood poised. Known for her swift Hop and lethal Strike, she was a lithe yet robust figure among her kind, her powerful legs a testament to her prowess. A distinct thick scar sliced diagonally across her otherwise delicate features, marking her battles. Adorned only with a Fang Necklace, a symbol of her status, and minimal clothing besides a pelt loincloth, she wielded a Hunter weapon—a bone-tipped Tusk Spear.

Flanking the Rabbit HuntMaster were her two formidable allies, each skilled in their own right but recognized as second to her expertise. Clad similarly in pelt loincloths, they each brandished a bone-tipped spear. Together, they faced a formidable foe. Despite their collective strength, the odds were dauntingly against them.

Their adversary was the notorious Erymanthian Boar, a monstrous creature with four razor-sharp tusks and a muscular frame cloaked in brown fur. Renowned for its potential to attain colossal sizes, this juvenile was nonetheless ten times the weight of a DemiRabbit and possessed an enormous HP pool and substantial STA.

With a disgruntled grunt, the boar initiated its Charge.

“[Hop], [Hop], [Hop],” chanted the rabbits, adeptly dodging to the sides.

Frustrated by its failed attempt, the boar let out an infuriated squeal.

The rabbits, now dispersed, watched as the boar quickly chose its next target and charged anew.

“Don’t try to score a hit, just dodge it,” Rabbit HuntMaster commanded crisply.

“[Hop],” complied one hunter, barely escaping the boar’s assault.

Annoyed by its continued misses, the boar pivoted sharply, kicking up a cloud of dirt before lunging towards the rabbit who had just completed his evasive move. Its tusks gleamed dangerously, aimed to pierce.

Too soon to activate Hop again due to cooldown restrictions, the inevitable collision occurred. The boar’s head should have delivered a fatal blow, but miraculously, the rabbit narrowly evaded the deadly tusks, which merely grazed his side. Still, the impact was significant, sending the rabbit hurtling through the air, forcefully enough to deplete a third of his HP and leave him Stunned upon the forest floor.

“Squeal!” triumphed the boar, sprinting towards the downed rabbit to execute a Trample.

“No, you don’t! [Hop]!”

“[Hop]!” echoed the others, as they converged quickly, thrusting their spears against the boar’s armored hide. The impact was minimal, but it sufficed to slightly deflect the boar’s trajectory.

Undeterred, the boar turned its murderous glare back to the others.

The optimal strategy for the boar would be to endure the attacks and target the vulnerable rabbit, but driven by instinct rather than strategy, it did not choose this path.

“I have its attention. Use this chance,” directed Rabbit HuntMaster, swiftly drawing the boar away.

The boar, enraged, pursued her closely. She felt its hot breath on her tail just before executing a high [Hop], reaching an unexpected vantage point.

Caught off-guard, the boar spun around, seeking the elusive rabbit, who, if it had looked upward, would have been seen clinging to a branch overhead.

“Gotcha!” she shouted as she descended, spear first, into the boar’s neck.

“Squee-ee!” the beast howled, the impact critical but not fatal. It thrashed wildly, attempting to dislodge her.

Holding tight, Rabbit HuntMaster shouted, “Take that! [Strike],” as she repeatedly stabbed at the boar’s neck with her dagger. Without the aid of gravity, her attempts to penetrate the thick hide were strenuous, yet she managed to inflict incremental damage to its HP.

Eventually, the boar, desperate, began spinning in the opposite direction. The intervention of her companions, assisting the previously incapacitated hunter, allowed them to join her in battle once more.

Being careful to avoid hitting their ally, they coordinated their strikes, “[Strike], [Strike],” targeting the still-spinning beast.

Rabbit HuntMaster persisted from her precarious position, “[Strike], [Strike], [Strike],” each thrust targeting the same worn spot on the boar’s neck, gradually deepening the wound. The repeated critical hits began to take their toll, and she maintained control over the beast’s focus.

Her stamina waning, and the boar, perhaps sensing its impending doom, abruptly ceased its futile gyrations and charged toward a nearby tree—a last-ditch effort to rid itself of its tormentor.

“Warg’s bile!” cursed Rabbit HuntMaster, realizing the imminent danger. She let go of her spear and leaped clear, moments before the boar crashed into the tree. Splinters flew, but the tree stood firm, and the boar, briefly Stunned, quickly recovered.

“Squeel!” it bellowed, mistakenly confident of its victory.

Facing what it perceived as fortunate but manageable prey, the boar was met instead with a renewed challenge from the rabbits, reset to a precarious standoff.

“What now, HuntMaster?” asked one of the hunters, urgency in his tone.

“My STA is almost spent, but we’re close” she responded, pointing to the spear still embedded in the boar, “one of you must take over and finish this.” She tossed her blood-stained dagger to a volunteer, indicating the need for swift action.

“But won’t it just slam into the tree again?” a rabbit queried, exchanging his spear for her dagger.

“Inflict as much damage as you can, quickly,” she instructed, the strategy clear despite their dire situation.

The boar, impatient with their brief planning, launched another Charge. The rabbits, timing their moves with precision borne of desperation, narrowly dodged the beast’s furious assault.

“Quick, get on its back!” commanded Rabbit HuntMaster, urgency sharp in her voice.

This proved more challenging than anticipated; the boar, now wary of their tactics, thwarted their attempts to mount. Each evasion, while preventing a fatal blow, resulted only in minor hits that barely phased the beast. Repeated attempts to scale the boar were met with aggressive countermeasures, and the battle’s toll on their Stamina grew increasingly severe.

Noticing the fading vigour of her companions, Rabbit HuntMaster acknowledged the grim reality. “We might have to retreat,” she conceded, her voice tinged with reluctance.

“Yeah, sorry,” the hunter with the dagger apologized, his demeanour a mix of frustration and resignation to their dwindling chances.

But Rabbit HuntMaster, fueled by a relentless spirit, wasn’t ready to yield. Despite the boar’s weakened state—afflicted with Bleeding and reduced HP—she rallied her comrades for one final push.

“You can do this! Just one more try,” she encouraged, her voice a beacon of resolve.

“Alright, but this is our last stand,” agreed the hunter, bracing for their ultimate effort.

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As if sensing their determination, the boar charged with renewed ferocity directly at Rabbit HuntMaster. The air thickened with tension, the critical moment unfolding with rapid intensity.

“[Strike]!”

“…”

“[Hop]!”

“Squeel!!!”

In those crucial seconds, the dynamics of battle shifted dramatically. Rabbit HuntMaster managed a critical hit, a supporting hunter struggled with his timing, and the third rabbit, against all odds, achieved the seemingly impossible.

“Argh!”

“Yes, I’m on! Oh…”

In a dire twist, Rabbit HuntMaster found herself impaled by the boar’s formidable tusk. Miraculously, it had missed her vital organs, a stroke of luck from the famed Luck perk all DemiRabbits shared. Fortunate as it was, the agony was intense.

“Finish it!” she cried, gritting her teeth against the excruciating pain.

With renewed vigour, the hunter embraced the challenge, “[EnergyBurst], [Strike], [Strike], [Strike]…” unleashing a rapid succession of attacks that blurred into a continuous assault. Each dagger strike targeted the freshly exposed wound, critical hits that slowly but surely diminished the boar’s vitality.

“Squ-ee-ee!!!!” the boar howled, its cries echoing with pain and fear as it made one last desperate attempt to escape its fate by running towards the tree.

However, Rabbit HuntMaster, still impaled and obstructing its view, managed to slightly adjust her position, allowing the dagger more time to inflict damage. Despite her precarious situation, the boar’s luck was finally dwindling as it neared an awkwardly positioned tree.

Drained of stamina and severely injured, Rabbit HuntMaster resigned herself to her fate, preparing for the worst.

“No…” the hunter beside her expended his remaining energy into a final, powerful Strike. “No!”

“Tell Master I…” she began, but couldn't finish her sentence.

An impact was imminent, but unexpectedly, it wasn’t the tree that bore the brunt. The other hunter, utilizing his EnergyBurst, had gained enough speed to intercept the boar, body-slamming it with all his might. His timely intervention nudged the boar just enough off its intended path, causing it to only graze the tree rather than collide with it fully.

At the sudden cessation of movement, both Rabbit HuntMaster and her rescuer were thrown from the beast. They landed heavily on the ground, side by side, gasping for breath. The hunter looked at Rabbit HuntMaster with wide eyes filled with concern.

“…”

“Don’t look at me like that,” she coughed painfully, her voice barely a whisper, “I’m still alive.” Though just barely, as she was still suffering from the effects of Bleeding.

The other hunter, seizing the moment, turned his attention back to the boar. With the beast momentarily dazed from its collision, he plunged his spear into the creature’s eye with a fierce cry, “You! Bastard! Die! Die! Die!” His repeated stabs echoed through the quiet of the forest, each one a desperate bid to end the battle.

From her prone position, Rabbit HuntMaster could only listen to the sounds of the struggle, her vision darkening as coldness enveloped her. Yet, she felt no fear; she believed that soon she would be reunited with her Master, ready to be reborn from the essence of her soul into another DemiRabbit. Such was the cycle of life and rebirth for her kind.

Or so she thought.

Suddenly, the announcement rang out through her senses, clear despite her fading consciousness:

[You’ve slayed Erymanthian Boar]

[The EXP was shared between the party]

[Congratulations! You’ve reached Hunter lvl 2]

[You have learned Pounce]

Vitality surged back into Rabbit HuntMaster, the life force clearing her Bleeding status and fully restoring her HP, and STA. Her eyes snapped open, and a manic grin spread across her face as she realized their victory.

“You did it!” she exclaimed, leaping to her feet in one fluid motion. “We did it!”

“That was a close call,” remarked the bloody hunter, pulling his spear from the now lifeless face of the boar.

“I’ve leveled up!” he declared, his expression fierce with triumph, the blood of their foe marking him like a warrior's paint. “I got Tackle!”

“Oh?” the other hunter, curious and slightly bemused, tilted his head. “But I got Flurry.”

“Huh?” the first hunter responded, equally puzzled.

“It seems we all got different skills,” Rabbit HuntMaster noted with a bounce of excitement, her spirits lifted by their shared success.

The trio cheered briefly, revelling in the aftermath of their harrowing encounter. However, the celebration was soon tempered by Rabbit HuntMaster’s knowing glance at her fellow hunters.

“So, are we doing it?” one of the hunters asked, anticipation lacing his tone.

The other hunter looked to Rabbit HuntMaster, awaiting her lead.

“Of course, we’re doing it!” she exclaimed, as if there were any doubt. “Even if we’ve just leveled up, we shouldn’t waste the chance for some bonus EXP.” She eyed the fallen boar’s corpse greedily, her tongue flicking out to taste the air.

What they were about to undertake was a secret ritual known only to them, discovered by chance and shrouded in mystery. Without further delay, Rabbit HuntMaster approached the carcass, specifically targeting the area where blood was still freshly oozing from the neck.

“This makes things easier,” she remarked, cupping her paws to collect the warm blood.

Slurp—she consumed a hearty amount, savouring the metallic taste that promised more than mere sustenance.

Then she offered the blood to her companions.

Slurp, Slurp—they each took their share.

Bloodied yet unbowed, she gathered more blood, splashing it generously on herself and her comrades. This crimson baptism served as the prelude to their ritual, the opening act to a ceremony that was as macabre as it was vital.

=== The Forbidden Ritual of Blood ===

Under the evening sky, the rabbits, their fur stained with crimson dye, meticulously drew strange markings upon their bodies. "In dreams, He showed us symbols long forgotten," they chanted in unison, their voices blending into a haunting melody that echoed through the clearing.

Something sinister ignited within their eyes as they lifted their gaze to the darkening sky. "Acknowledge our need for power," they called out, their voices fervent with desire. "Your enemies we shall devour," they continued, their hungry eyes fixed on the slain creature before them.

Gathering around the corpse, each rabbit gripped a dagger tightly. "This monster, we sacrifice it in His name," they declared, and with a synchronized movement, they plunged their daggers deep into the boar’s neck. "With this trophy, we grant Him fame." Within moments, the head was severed, a gruesome testament to their resolve.

Working in unison, the rabbits hoisted the monstrous head high above their heads. "We bathe in blood to be reborn, an oath to Them we've sworn," they chanted, droplets of warm blood showered them in a gruesome blessing.

Carefully, they placed the monster’s head back onto the blood-soaked earth. "We claim the gift forbidden, to do the Master’s bidding," they intoned, circling the head as their blood-soaked feet painted a sinister circle on the ground.

"We seal the deal in the forbidden pact, grant us power in this act!" they cried out, their voices crescendoing into the night.

===

With a few final steps of their grotesque dance, the ritual concluded. The corpse of the Erymanthian Boar lay defiled, its desecration a sacrificial act that not only mocked the monster's death but also provoked the ire of deities lurking in the sky above.

[The corpse of Erymanthian Boar was defiled]

[You have committed a Taboo]

[Additional EXP was rewarded]

Such taboo acts granted the rabbits an extra 5% EXP from the monster's inherent value—a significant boon in their harsh world where survival was paramount. But as they revelled in their gains, an unexpected phenomenon occurred.

“Huh!?”, “…”, “Eh?” The rabbits stared in bewilderment.

From the defiled carcass rose a mote of purple light, small as a marble yet pulsating with intense energy. It flickered like a flame, hovering in the air, exuding a compelling yet unsettling presence.

"You go get it," suggested one Rabbit Hunter.

"Yeah, you’re the leader. It’s yours," the other added, patting the she-rabbit on the back.

Driven by a mix of caution and curiosity, the Rabbit Huntmaster reached out to the eerie mote. The moment her paw touched it, the mote merged into her skin seamlessly.

[You have obtained the ChaosMote]

[Do you want to consume it?]

Instinctively understanding the potential for gaining either EXP or some exotic ability, she nonetheless resisted the urge to assimilate the mote immediately, mentally rejecting the system's prompt with a firm 'NO'.

"It’s a ChaosMote," she announced to her companions, deciding, "It will be the perfect gift for the Master."

The other hunters nodded in agreement, approving of her decision to reserve the potent item.

"Shall we then?" Rabbit Huntmaster suggested with a knowing glance.

With that, they approached what still remained of the boar's corpse to harvest its valuable resources. They skillfully skinned it for its sturdy pelt, extracted its tusks and bones for crafting weapons, and even sliced select pieces of its flesh—not for themselves, but as a delicacy for their Master's dinner.

[ErymanthianBoar Tusk], x4

[ErymanthianBoar Pelt], x1

[MonsterBones], x10

[ErymanthianBoar Steak], x20

The rabbits efficiently dismantled the boar, leaving the remnants for the scavengers soon to arrive. Before departing, they meticulously drew yet another circle around the site where the beast had fallen. This was essential for harvesting the last remaining piece, the MonsterSoul—a vital ingredient in birthing more DemiRabbits. The strength of the monster ensured the potency of its soul, which was crucial for the growth of Rabbit Village.

Continuously hunting formidable creatures served a dual purpose for the rabbits: it provided necessary materials and helped expand their rabbit community. Despite frequent failures, the necessity of collecting soul essence through these blood circles was a stark reality of their existence within the perilous confines of the Forbidden Forest.

…

The ChaosMote, a blessing from a certain god, pulsed within the Rabbit Huntmaster. Its purpose was still unknown, but clearly, it was a material with vast power.