Reincarnated as a Rabbit: Tales of Carrots and Chaos

When I woke up, the world felt sharper, brighter, and more alive. My body buzzed with energy like I'd plugged into some untapped power source. The orb in my chest thrummed steadily, its rhythm in perfect sync with my heartbeat.

After evolving, the orb felt different—closer. Before, it was like a parasite I'd grudgingly accepted, something alien leeching off me. Now, it was part of me, pulsing in sync with my heartbeat, almost comforting. Symbiotic.

But symbiosis isn't selfless, is it?

I didn't know what the orb was getting out of this deal—or what it would demand later. For now, I could only hope the benefits outweighed the risks.

I don't know how it benefits the orb, but I can feel that it's doing something. Maybe I'll know in the future or maybe I won't who knows, only time will tell. All I know is that the orb is slowly becoming a part of me.

Maybe in the future, if I'm able to evolve again, assuming that I'll be able to is that it will slowly integrate within me. It's quite a scary thought but I won't lie, it helped me survive this goddamn forest of god knows where.

I stretched, my movements effortless, as if my body had shed a weight, I didn't even know I carried and hopped towards a nearby puddle. I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a nearby puddle—and froze.

Gone was the familiar white fur and now I'm introduced to a new image of myself. Gone were the days when I looked like a cute plush toy that you buy for your girlfriend. My ears were now longer and had deep crimson patterns on them, and my eyes—oh, my eyes—were glowing orbs of radiant red I can describe it as mesmerizing but at the same time it made my heart beat faster. They shimmered, exuding a predatory intensity that made even me hesitate.

I blinked. The rabbit in the water blinked back.

"Alright," I muttered.

A Red-Eyed Lop huh

"This… is different."

Status

[Status]

[No Name]

[Red-Eyed Lop]

[Level 0 [0/30 EXP]]

[HP: 25/25]

[Mana: 30/30]

[Title]

[Abilities]

[Active Skills: Bounce Level 4, Danger Sense Level 2, Kick Level 4, Hypnotic Gaze Level 1]

[Passive Skills: Blood Sight Level 1]

I didn't notice it yesterday after the status update because I was tired but… WHAT THE FUCK?!

"OI, WHO SAID THAT YOU SHOULD GO BACK TO LEVEL 1 WHEN YOU EVOLVE LET ME FIGHT YOU GODDAMN IT!"

Sigh

This is making my motivation lower…all those caterpillar grind for what? For nothing? Nothing at all?

Sigh

My indignation about the cruelness of this world by a text that caught my eye.

[New Skills Acquired: Hypnotic Gaze Level 1, Blood Sight Level 1]

Oh right, I got new skills from evolving.

I tilted my head, curiosity outweighing my frustration.

"Alright, let's see what you've got for me, Mr. New Fancy Skills."

As I moved toward "My Pond", the small pond where the squirrels usually congregated, I noticed the world around me reacting to my presence. Birds in the trees took flight at the sight of me, and smaller creatures scurried away as if I were a predator.

I arrived to find Papa Squirrel perched on his usual branch, tail flicking irritably. He spotted me and froze, his tiny body stiffening as his beady eyes locked onto my glowing red ones. Even Mama Squirrel, who was carrying a nut in her paws, dropped it with an audible thunk.

"Oh, come on," I said, hopping closer.

"It's just me. Don't act like I grew fangs."

Papa Squirrel chirped sharply and bolted up the tree, disappearing into the foliage. Mama Squirrel scrambled after him, pausing only to cast one last, wary glance in my direction.

"Really?" I sighed, flopping down by the pond.

"All that time we've spent together, and now I'm suddenly scary?"

A smaller squirrel—one of their children—peeked out from behind the tree trunk, its wide eyes fixed on me. I tried to soften my expression, but it must've caught the glint of my crimson streaks because it squeaked in terror and vanished.

Now this is just sad, after all the memories we've had together, all the nuts we've crushed and broken, this is what happens?

Sigh

"Well, great. My neighbors think I'm a monster. This is going to be fun."

The first thing I tried was [Blood Sight]. It activated as naturally as blinking, flooding my vision with an eerie clarity. The world shifted, colors dimming as a web of crimson light spread across the forest. Each thread led to something alive—birds, squirrels, caterpillars—all glowing faintly as their life force pulsed through them.

After a few seconds, heat built behind my eyes, like hot needles pressing into my skull. I winced, shutting them tight as the pain surged.

"Ow—damn it!"

I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the afterimage of the glowing threads.

My vision swam, blurry and uneven, and for a moment, panic set in. What if I'd overdone it? What if this stupid skill blinded me permanently?

I deactivated the skill, blinking away the afterimage.

"Okay, that's… unsettling and it fucking hurts. But cool."

So, it wasn't an illusion then, I can't use this skill for too long, or else I feel like my eyeballs will burst into nothingness. I still don't want to be blind especially since I'm quite weak and alone right now.

Next, I scanned the forest, it's quite a nice surprise that I saw red hues in my surroundings, it means that this skill is passive. With [Blood Sight] being a passive skill, I could see every creature within range—squirrels hiding in the trees, birds in flight, and even a faint glow from burrowing insects. Larger, brighter glimmers stood out too: predators, watching from the shadows.

But the drawback of using it actively sends a chill right through my spine. I wonder if I use it too much I would really go blind. I hope not.

The sight sent a chill down my spine.

"At least I won't be caught off guard now."

Sigh

The world seemed different now. Sharper. The muted greens of the forest burst into vibrant hues, and faint traces of glowing energy threads weaved between trees and rocks, crisscrossing like a web. The buzzing came from one of these threads, pulsating faintly with an eerie light.

"What… is that?" I whispered, stepping closer.

My eyes narrowed, and the thread unraveled before me, revealing a small, mana-infused insect flitting among the leaves. A rare creature, its body radiating with a faint golden glow. I wouldn't have noticed it before, but now it stood out like a beacon in the dark.

"Target acquired," I said, crouching low.

The poor thing didn't stand a chance. With my enhanced reflexes, I pounced, pinning it under my paw before it could react. Its faint glow flickered, and a notification blinked into my vision.

[You have defeated a Mana Beetle. Obtained 3 EXP.]

"Mana Beetle?" I tilted my head, examining the faint traces of energy it left behind. "So, these red eyes aren't just for show. They can track mana or life energy or maybe heat if I'm basing it on my knowledge from Earth?"

I don't know, but the only thing I know is that the skill is really convenient. I can't use the skill for a long time, but brief moments are fine.

The implications sank in. I wasn't just stronger—I was tuned into the forest in a way I hadn't been before. I could see its hidden layers, the energy pulsing through its veins.

The enhanced physique that I have also shown new improvements, I was quite surprised when I was able to jump higher than before, being able to catch the Mana Beetle before it could even react.

This… was going to be fun.

My next experiment was [Hypnotic Gaze]. A cluster of caterpillars had gathered on a nearby patch of leaves—perfect test subjects. I locked eyes with the nearest one, activating the skill.

"I, The King of the Puddle kingdom, order you bastard to…MOVE LEFT!"

The caterpillar froze instantly, its tiny body stiffening as though caught in an invisible grip. I focused harder, pushing my will outward, and the caterpillar shifted to the left, moving in jerky, hesitant motions.

"Hah!" I grinned, releasing the skill.

"Obedient bugs. Who knew?"

"Those who kill should be prepared to get killed themselves. Hmph!"

Did I look cool? I looked cool right?! Right?!

The other caterpillars, unaware of their comrade's fate, continued munching obliviously. I hunted them one by one, combining [Hypnotic Gaze] with [Bounce] to immobilize and strike.

By the time I finished, my EXP bar had ticked up steadily.

[Level Up: 1 → 2.] [Level Up: 2 → 3.]

"That's more like it," I said, flicking a bit of caterpillar goo off my paw.

"Back in the game."

While [Hypnotic Gaze] and [Blood Sight] were flashy and exciting, my bread-and-butter skills still needed work. I spent the next few hours practicing [Bounce] and [Kick] in the clearing near my burrow.

[Bounce] felt different now—stronger, more responsive. Each leap carried me farther, and I found that I could adjust mid-air with more precision than before. I tested it against a low-hanging branch, ricocheting off it and landing neatly on a boulder.

"This is amazing," I muttered, crouching low to test my next leap.

"If I keep this up, I'll be bouncing circles around these predators in no time."

[Kick] was just as impressive. I practiced on a fallen log, the impact of each strike sending splinters flying. After a few tries, I activated [Blood Sight] mid-combat, tracking the log as if it were a moving enemy. The combination of skills made my strikes faster, more accurate, and infinitely more satisfying.

This time I finally have a chance. This time, the prey will become the predator. Wait for me you bastards. I'll show you how to hunt.

The day passed quickly as I tested my newfound abilities, but the forest wasn't going to let me train in peace.

As the sun dipped lower, the hum of [Danger Sense] tickled the edge of my awareness. It wasn't a full-blown alarm—just a faint buzz, enough to make my ears twitch.

I looked around with [Blood Sight] and scanned the area. A big hazy glow appeared in the distance, moving closer with each second. It was larger than the smaller prey I'd hunted all day, its life force strong and steady.

A low growl rumbled through the clearing, and a sleek wolf stepped out of the shadows. Its black fur glistened in the fading sunlight, and its golden eyes locked onto mine with predatory intent.

For a moment, we stared at each other. The orb in my chest pulsed faintly as if sensing the tension.

The wolf snarled, its body coiling as it prepared to lunge. I tensed, activating [Hypnotic Gaze]. My red eyes flared, locking onto the wolf's glowing yellow ones.

The wolf froze mid-step, its muscles trembling as it struggled against my will. My chest tightened with the strain of holding the skill—it wasn't as easy to control as a caterpillar.

"Back off," I growled, my voice low and firm.

The wolf hesitated, its body rigid, before letting out a frustrated snarl. It turned and slunk back into the forest, its golden eyes flicking back toward me before disappearing into the shadows.

I collapsed onto the ground, panting, the strain leaving me lightheaded.

[Skill Proficiency Increased: Hypnotic Gaze Lv. 1 → Lv. 2.]

"Well," I muttered, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"That could've gone worse, luckily that guy wasn't that hungry or else we'll have to find out if I really became stronger or not."

As the sun dipped lower, I returned to my burrow, my body aching but my heart racing with excitement. This evolution wasn't just an upgrade—it was a rebirth. My abilities weren't just tools anymore—they were weapons.

The forest had grown eerily quiet. The squirrels were still keeping their distance, peering down at me with wary eyes. I gave them a half-hearted wave, but they didn't budge.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered.

"I'm terrifying now. Get over it."

But I wasn't the only one adapting. The forest had noticed me. The predators that once dismissed me as prey now saw me as something more. I wasn't just surviving anymore—I was climbing the food chain, one level at a time.

Curling up in my burrow, I stared at my faint reflection in the puddle nearby. My glowing red eyes stared back, their intensity unnerving even in the dim light.

Whatever was coming next, I wasn't just prey anymore. I was evolving.

This time I finally have a chance.

This time, the prey will become the predator.

Wait for me you bastards, I'll show you how to hunt.

And the forest wasn't ready for what that meant.