Reincarnated as a Rabbit: Tales of Carrots and Chaos

For a moment, the room fell into a fragile stillness. The Watcher's massive body twitched, its glowing veins dimming as a guttural rumble echoed through the hall. The horned rabbit leapt gracefully to the ground, landing beside me. Her fur was streaked with dark smudges from the fight, but her sharp blue eyes remained focused, unwavering.

My claws dug into the cracked stone floor as I panted, the heat from the Watcher's burning veins still prickling my fur. The faint hum from the glyphs surrounding us had slowed to a rhythmic pulse, almost like a heartbeat. My [Danger Sense] continued to buzz, a low hum in the back of my mind. It wasn't over.

"Tell me that's it," I muttered, though I already knew the answer.

The horned rabbit's ears twitched, her gaze snapping to the Watcher's slumped form. The glowing eye embedded in its chest flickered, then flared to life with an intense crimson light. The pulse from the glyphs quickened, their glow spreading out like wildfire across the floor and up the pillars.

Did I actually jinxed it?!

The air grew heavy, suffocating. The Watcher's body began to rise, its stone-like coils shifting with unsettling fluidity. Its once-dim veins now burned brighter than before, the glow branching out like cracks in an unstable dam. A sharp, metallic screech tore through the chamber as its molten eye widened, leaking streams of fiery light that dripped and hissed against the ground.

It wasn't just recovering. It was transforming.

The Watcher's body split apart at its central coil, unveiling a gaping chasm lined with writhing, glowing tendrils of mana. Its four talons extended, their claws lengthening and sharpening into scythe-like appendages. The glyphs across its body pulsed faster, each beat accompanied by a guttural roar that reverberated through the hall.

The eye in its chest pulsed, releasing a wave of energy that sent a deep tremor through the ground. Cracks spread out from the dais, and the pillars groaned under the strain.

The orb in my chest flared violently, its heat scorching beneath my fur.

"Move!"

I shouted, activating [Bounce] just as a torrent of red chains erupted from the glyphs beneath us. The horned rabbit leapt in sync, her small frame darting through the air as the chains lashed upward, shattering the ground where we had been.

The Watcher turned toward us, its glowing tendrils writhing like living things. One of its talons slashed forward, carving a deep arc through the air. I twisted mid-leap, narrowly avoiding the strike, but the sheer force of it sent me tumbling to the ground.

[HP: 28 → 20.]

Pain lanced through my side, sharp and immediate. I scrambled upright, my breath ragged. The horned rabbit darted to my side, her horn gleaming as she stood defensively between me and the advancing Watcher. Her stance was lower now, her movements more deliberate. She knew, just as I did, that we were fighting for our lives.

The Watcher roared, its massive body surging forward with terrifying speed. One of its talons crashed into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling through the room. I vaulted over the shockwave with [Bounce], but the horned rabbit wasn't so lucky. The force threw her off balance, and she hit the ground hard.

"Damn it!" I growled, rushing to intercept the next attack.

The Watcher's eye flared, a crimson glow building at its center. I didn't wait to see what it would do. With a burst of energy, I lunged at its side, activating [Kick]. My legs struck one of its glowing veins, but the surface was tougher now, harder to crack. The impact barely fazed it.

The horned rabbit was back on her feet in an instant. She darted forward, her horn slicing through one of the mana tendrils near its chest. The tendril spasmed, spraying glowing liquid that hissed against the stone. The Watcher roared, twisting violently as it lashed out with its talons.

We moved together now, a precarious dance of survival. I drew its attention, leaping and striking at its limbs while the horned rabbit aimed for its tendrils and veins. Every strike was a gamble; every dodge felt too close. The Watcher was faster now, its attacks relentless and precise. It was learning.

With each step I take, I could feel it. That at any moment if we make a mistake, we might lose our lives.

The Watcher's eye flared again, brighter than before. My [Danger Sense] screamed as the ground beneath me lit up with glowing glyphs. A second later, chains erupted upward, faster and more coordinated than before. I leapt clear, but one of the chains caught my hind leg, searing through my fur.

[HP: 20 → 14.]

The horned rabbit wasn't spared either. A chain wrapped around her midsection, yanking her off the ground. She thrashed, her horn slicing at the glowing energy, but it held firm. The Watcher let out a guttural roar, raising its talons high as if to crush her.

"No, you don't!" I snarled, activating [Blood Sight].

The Watcher's body flared crimson in my vision, its veins glowing like rivers of molten fire. My eyes locked onto a weak point—one of the larger tendrils near its base. Without hesitating, I launched myself forward, adrenaline drowning out the pain in my legs.

I struck with everything I had. My claws tore into the glowing vein, and I followed up with a powerful [Kick]. The tendril snapped, spraying molten mana that sizzled against my fur. The Watcher roared, its talons faltering for a moment as the chains holding the horned rabbit dissolved.

She landed lightly, her blue eyes meeting mine for the briefest moment. There was no need for words. We were in this together.

The Watcher's movements grew more erratic, its body writhing as its mana veins flickered. But its attacks didn't slow. If anything, they became more desperate. It lashed out with its talons, forcing us to split up. The glyphs on the floor pulsed faster, releasing bursts of mana that detonated like mines.

I dodged one explosion, the heat singeing my fur, and immediately leapt toward its side. My claws dug into its stone-like body as I climbed higher, aiming for its central eye. The horned rabbit struck from the opposite side, her horn slicing through another vein. The Watcher let out a resounding roar of pain, its molten eye flaring violently.

Just as I reached the weak point near its chest, the Watcher reared back. Its coils twisted violently, and I lost my grip, tumbling to the ground.

[HP: 14 → 8.]

Pain exploded through my body as I hit the stone floor. The world spun, and for a moment, I couldn't move. The orb in my chest flared, its heat dulling the edges of the pain, but I could feel my strength waning.

The horned rabbit darted to my side, her blue eyes sharp and unyielding. She nudged me lightly, as if urging me to stand.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm not done," I muttered, pushing myself upright.

The Watcher's body pulsed with unstable energy, its molten eye leaking streams of light that hissed against the stone. The glyphs around the dais flickered erratically, their rhythm growing uneven.

"This thing's about to blow," I said, gritting my teeth.

"We have to end it—now."

The horned rabbit crouched low, her horn glowing faintly as she prepared to strike. I could feel her determination, sharp and unwavering. My claws scraped against the floor as I steadied myself, the orb in my chest pulsing in time with the Watcher's flickering veins.

Together, we moved.

I leapt toward its side, drawing its attention with a flurry of strikes. The horned rabbit darted around its talons, aiming for its writhing tendrils. Every hit sent a jolt through the Watcher's body, its movements growing more unstable.

Finally, the moment came. The Watcher reared back, its molten eye flaring with blinding light. I locked onto its weak point, every ounce of strength I had left surging into my legs.

"Now!" I shouted, leaping high.

The horned rabbit struck first, her horn piercing one of its central veins. The Watcher convulsed, its body writhing as glowing cracks spread across its stone-like frame. I followed a heartbeat later, driving my hind legs into its chest with a devastating [Kick].

The Watcher let out a deafening roar as its body began to collapse, the light from its veins dimming. The glyphs flickered one final time before fading into darkness.

The oppressive silence that followed the Watcher's collapse lasted only a moment. Then, the air split with a sound like shattering glass, piercing and shrill. My ears flattened instinctively as the hall itself seemed to convulse. The glyphs along the walls, dormant just seconds ago, flared to life with a blinding intensity, their sharp pulses turning the chamber into a chaotic storm of light and shadow.

The Watcher's broken body began to shift. The molten eye in its chest glowed fiercely, its light spilling out in jagged beams that pierced the surrounding stone. Cracks spread rapidly across its form, revealing an inner core—a pulsing, living mass of raw mana that burned with an intensity I could feel even from where I stood.

Are you actually fucking kidding me?!

I staggered back, the orb in my chest flaring wildly. The heat from the Watcher's core made my fur stand on end, the sensation searing and relentless. The horned rabbit crouched beside me; her blue eyes fixed on the creature as its transformation continued. For the first time, I caught the faintest flicker of hesitation in her gaze.

"What now?" I growled, my claws digging into the stone. My breathing was ragged, my legs trembling under the strain of the last two phases.

"Can't we get a break?"

As if in answer, the Watcher let out a deafening roar, its voice layered with the sound of grinding stone and rushing flames. Its body cracked and shattered, pieces of its outer shell falling away to reveal a form even more grotesque and alien.

The Watcher no longer resembled a snake. Its broken coils had reconfigured into a jagged, asymmetrical mass of stone and glowing veins, each tendril ending in serrated edges. Four limbs emerged from its core, unnaturally long and spider-like, their tips glowing with molten heat. The central eye that once dominated its chest was now larger, brighter, and fractured into multiple lenses, each one swiveling independently to scan the room.

The chamber itself seemed to react to the Watcher's rebirth. The once-stable floor buckled and groaned, shifting beneath my feet as new glyphs etched themselves into the stone, radiating an oppressive, suffocating energy. The pillars that had lined the hall fractured, their tops collapsing and slamming into the ground like falling giants.

The air grew unbearably hot, heavy with the acrid stench of burning stone. My chest tightened, every breath feeling like it was being dragged through molten steel. The orb within me pulsed frantically, its rhythm out of sync with the world around us. Even my vision felt distorted, the edges blurring as waves of heat shimmered in the suffocating light.

The horned rabbit didn't wait. She darted forward, her horn gleaming as she aimed for one of the glowing tendrils extending from the Watcher's core. Her movements were sharp and precise, but the Watcher reacted instantly. One of its limbs lashed out, faster than anything I'd seen before.

She barely managed to twist midair, the serrated edge grazing her side as she landed heavily.

"Careful!" I barked, activating [Bounce] to close the distance. My hind legs coiled, and I launched myself at the creature, aiming for one of the weaker veins near its core. My [Kick] connected, the force cracking the glowing tendril.

But instead of retreating, the Watcher lashed out, one of its limbs catching me mid-air.

[HP: 8 → 4.]

The impact sent me flying, my body slamming into one of the remaining pillars. Pain exploded across my back, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. The orb in my chest flared violently, its heat dulling the worst of the agony, but I knew I couldn't take another hit like that.

Seeing that [Challenger] still hasn't activated, it seems that there might be limitations.

The horned rabbit darted to my side, her blue eyes sharper than ever. Blood dripped from a shallow cut along her flank, but her stance was steady, her determination unwavering. She nudged me lightly, as if to say, "Get up."

I forced myself upright, my claws scraping against the stone. The Watcher's limbs moved with unnerving precision, each one weaving through the air in a deadly pattern that left no room for error. Its fractured eyes glowed brighter, and beams of searing light shot out, carving deep scars into the floor.

I leapt to avoid one, the beam passing just beneath me and searing the edges of my fur. The heat was unbearable, a constant reminder that every mistake could be my last.

"Think," I muttered under my breath, dodging another sweeping limb. The horned rabbit moved in tandem with me, her smaller frame allowing her to dart through the chaos more easily. She struck at the Watcher's limbs, her horn slicing through glowing veins with precision, but every severed tendril only seemed to enrage it further.

The Watcher roared again, its voice splitting the air. The light from its core intensified, and the glyphs along the floor erupted, chains of molten energy lashing upward in wild arcs. One caught the horned rabbit's hind leg, dragging her to the ground. She thrashed, her horn slicing through the chain, but the delay was enough for one of the Watcher's limbs to close in.

"No!" I shouted, activating [Hypnotic Gaze].

The world turned red as I poured every ounce of focus into the skill. The Watcher's movements faltered for a brief moment, its fractured eyes dimming as the mana running through its veins shuddered. The horned rabbit seized the opening, rolling free of the incoming limb and leaping onto one of the creature's upper tendrils.

She drove her horn deep into its glowing surface, the strike sending a shockwave through the Watcher's body. It convulsed, its limbs thrashing wildly as cracks spread across its core.

I landed beside her, panting heavily. My claws trembled as I tried to keep my balance, every movement a struggle. The orb in my chest burned like a furnace, its heat scorching but necessary. My vision blurred as exhaustion clawed at the edges of my mind.

The horned rabbit glanced at me; her gaze unreadable. Her chest heaved with each breath, but her stance didn't waver. She was tired—I could see it in the faint tremble of her legs—but she wasn't giving up. And neither could I.

"This thing… just won't die," I growled, my voice hoarse.

The Watcher's fractured eyes focused on us again, their glow intensifying. The air around its core shimmered with heat, and I could feel the shift in its energy. It wasn't just enraged—it was desperate. The next phase would be its last, one way or another.

"Ready?" I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.

The horned rabbit didn't respond, but the sharp gleam in her eyes was answer enough.

Together, we turned to face the Watcher as it rose to its full height, the light from its core casting long, jagged shadows across the crumbling hall. Its fractured body was on the brink of collapse, but its power was still overwhelming.

This wasn't just survival anymore. This was the final stand.

The Watcher loomed, its molten core pulsating wildly as if teetering on the edge of collapse. The hall shuddered under the weight of its presence, and the glyphs along the walls and floor burned brighter, the air thick with the scent of scorched stone and searing mana.

The horned rabbit stood beside me; her bloodied fur matted but her stance unyielding. The faint tremor in her limbs betrayed her exhaustion, yet her blue eyes burned with defiance.

The Watcher shifted, its remaining tendrils curling inward like claws preparing to strike. Cracks spread along its molten core, spilling streams of fiery energy that melted the floor beneath it. A high-pitched keening sound filled the chamber, like the shriek of metal under unbearable pressure.

This was it—the final hurrah.

The Watcher struck first, its tendrils slamming down with terrifying speed. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, the force enough to knock me off my feet. I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another sweeping strike that shattered a nearby pillar into rubble.

"Keep moving!" I barked, my voice hoarse.

The horned rabbit darted left, her small frame weaving through the chaos as she leapt onto a shattered piece of stone. From her elevated position, she launched herself toward one of the Watcher's limbs, her horn slicing deep into the glowing veins.

The Watcher screeched, its core flaring as molten light poured from the wound. It retaliated with a flurry of strikes, its limbs whipping through the air like scythes. I activated [Bounce], launching myself into the air just as one of the limbs came crashing down where I had stood.

Midair, I twisted, using the momentum to deliver a powerful [Kick] to the Watcher's core. The strike sent cracks spiderwebbing across its surface, and the orb in my chest flared in response, its heat surging as though feeding off the Watcher's collapsing energy.

The Watcher roared, its fractured eyes burning like dying stars. A surge of energy rippled outward from its core, slamming into me like a tidal wave.

[HP: 4 → 2.]

I hit the ground hard, my claws scraping against the stone as I struggled to rise. My legs trembled, every muscle screaming in protest. The orb in my chest pulsed erratically, its warmth both a comfort and a burden.

The horned rabbit landed beside me, her breathing ragged. She nudged my side with her horn, urging me to move. There was no time to rest—not while the Watcher still stood.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, forcing myself upright. "I'm not done yet."

The Watcher's molten core pulsed dangerously, and the air around it shimmered with heat. The glyphs on its body flared, and from their jagged patterns, a new attack emerged. A ring of molten chains erupted from the ground, spiraling outward like living fire.

The horned rabbit leapt backward, narrowly avoiding the searing chains as they tore through the floor. I followed, the heat licking at my fur as I darted to the side. One of the chains grazed my flank, the pain sharp and immediate.

[HP: 2 → 1.]

The Watcher's energy began to wane, its attacks becoming more erratic. The molten chains faltered, their glowing edges dimming as the glyphs along its limbs flickered. The cracks in its core widened, spilling more molten light into the chamber.

"This is it!" I shouted, the strain in my voice betraying my desperation.

The horned rabbit moved first, darting through the chaos with the precision of a seasoned predator. Her horn glowed faintly as she aimed for the Watcher's core, her body a blur of motion. The Watcher's limbs lashed out, but she twisted midair, her horn striking true.

The Watcher let out an ear-splitting wail, its body convulsing violently. I seized the opening, activating [Bounce] to launch myself toward its exposed core. The heat was unbearable, the air searing my lungs as I coiled my legs for one final strike.

With everything I had, I unleashed [Kick], my hind legs connecting with the molten core. The impact reverberated through the chamber, the sound of shattering stone drowning out the Watcher's dying screech.

The Watcher's body crumbled, its molten core collapsing in on itself. Streams of fiery energy spiraled upward, carving glowing fissures into the ceiling. The ground beneath us trembled violently, and for a moment, I thought the entire chamber would collapse.

Then, silence.

The Watcher's remains lay scattered across the floor, its fractured core dim and lifeless. The oppressive heat lifted, replaced by a cold, eerie stillness. The glyphs along the walls and floor dimmed, their light fading into darkness.

[You have defeated the Watcher of Veins. Obtained 500 EXP.]

I dropped to the ground, my legs giving out beneath me. My chest heaved as I struggled to catch my breath, the orb in my chest pulsing faintly.

[Level Up! Level 6 → Level 9. EXP to next level: 150.]

The rush of warmth that followed was almost overwhelming, my body tingling with newfound strength. The pain in my limbs dulled slightly, though the exhaustion remained.

Beside me, the horned rabbit stood tall, her blue eyes fixed on the Watcher's remains. Her fur was matted with blood, and her movements were slower, but she didn't falter.

"You… okay?" I asked between gasps.

She glanced at me, her expression calm but unreadable. Then, with a quiet nod, she turned her gaze to the far end of the chamber.

The far wall began to shift, the stone rippling lie water. Slowly, a massive door emerged from the darkness, its surface etched with glowing glyphs unlike any I'd seen before. The air around it was cold and still, the silence almost reverent.

I staggered to my feet, my claws scraping against the stone as I approached the door. The orb in my chest pulsed faintly, its warmth steadying my trembling legs.

As I reached the door, a voice echoed through the chamber—deep and resonant, yet soft, like a whisper carried on the wind.

"Welcome, my child."

The voice sent a shiver down my spine, its tone both comforting and unsettling. I turned to the horned rabbit, but she was staring at the door, her blue eyes wide with something I couldn't quite place.

The glyphs on the door pulsed softly, their light growing brighter with each beat.

"What… is this?" I murmured, my voice barely audible.

The horned rabbit didn't answer. Instead, she stepped closer to the door, her gaze fixed on its glowing surface. The air grew heavier, the weight of the unknown pressing down on us like a tangible force.

The voice spoke again, its tone impossibly calm.

"Although that old thing has been withered through the test of time, it's still surprising that someone actually defeated it."