Reincarnated as a Rabbit: Tales of Carrots and Chaos

The shadow was gone, but its presence lingered like a storm cloud over my head. My ears twitched constantly, straining to catch even the faintest sound of movement, but the forest around me remained eerily still. No chirping squirrels, no rustling leaves—just an oppressive silence that felt far too unnatural.

"What in the actual hell was that?" I muttered, glancing at the spot where the shadow had disappeared. My voice sounded absurdly loud in the quiet, and I immediately regretted speaking.

The orb in my chest pulsed faintly, an unfamiliar rhythm that echoed the tension in the air. It wasn't painful, but it was distracting—like a quiet drumbeat in the back of my mind, reminding me that whatever had been watching me wasn't just a figment of my imagination.

I wonder what this orb is, come to think of it, It's quite strange. Who the fuck actually leaves their valuables in a random-ass forest in the middle of nowhere and god knows what's even in here. I mean I swiped it from that place cause why not right? Sucks to be that person. I won't give this back to you, Idiot.

I shuddered, taking a deep breath to steady myself. "Alright, fluffy legs, time to move. Can't just sit here waiting to get eaten by something worse than a ferret."

The fight with the ferret earlier had drained me, but the experience it gave me brought me closer to leveling up. That was good. No, great even. Because I had a sinking feeling that I'd need every ounce of strength I could muster for whatever lay ahead. If we're going with the progression of the enemies that I encountered.

It would seem that the next might be a tiger, maybe a bear, what about goblins? Am I really in a fantasy world? I don't know, or maybe I'm just dreaming and the next moment I get slapped to reality by that friend of mine for waking up late.

Well, I don't know. Thinking of what could be present in a fantasy world most likely there would be elves, goblins, griffons, and dragons. I hope I don't encounter dragons. Unless… I could have that certain donkey's charisma.

I hopped back to my burrow, speaking of. I don't think I've ever mentioned about my burrow! My burrow? Yes, my burrow!

Well let's see, although I'm not an architect or an interior designer or a Kungfu—I mean Feng shui master, I for sure can tell you that I've placed it in a perfect spot. Well, it's just below the tree of the squirrel family really.

The view looks nice if you're looking at it a few meters away. It's a lone tree situated in the middle of the clearing with a small pond a nearby river at the east side which gives it a serene and refreshing view. Not bad right? Right?

Well, I'm kinda tired right now from all the bouncing and hopping away from bastards trying to kill me so I'm gonna go sleep. Well, Ciao.

Squelch

No Name]

[Rabbit]

[Level 8 [31/40 EXP]]

[HP: 19/19]

[Mana: 10/15]

[Skills: Bounce Level 3, Danger Sense Level 1, Kick Level 2]

Nine more caterpillars, I thought grimly, squaring my shoulders—or, well, as much as a rabbit can square its shoulders. "Nine more, and I'll hit Level 9. Then… who knows? Maybe I'll stop feeling like the universe's punching bag for once."

It's once again another day, I mean dawn cause I wake up at dawn just like rabbits do. Well, I don't know what other rabbits do.

I started grinding again after waking up, cleaning myself on the pond (Never forget proper hygiene folks), and saying goodbye to the squirrel family. It feels quite nice being able to do these things despite dying once and getting crashed into a pulp.

Although it might seem that I'm quite relaxed based on how much I yap in my head, It's really not the case. That's what happens when everything around you might want to eat you anytime. It's not fun, people. Alas, although it might seem a good idea to wallow in despair, I guess it would be better for my mental state if I continue to find enjoyment in life like squashing these bugs.

Squelch

But before I could focus on the grind, that lingering hum of [Danger Sense] tugged at the edge of my awareness again, sharper this time. Something was out there. Watching. Moving. Its identity? Not. A. Single. Clue.

"Great," I muttered, crouching low to the ground. "Of course, it can't just be an easy day of squashing caterpillars. Can't you guys let me rest for a while?"

The forest was unnaturally quiet as I crept forward, my paws brushing softly against the mossy ground. The shadows seemed deeper here, stretching unnaturally between the trees. It wasn't just my imagination—something about this part of the forest felt… wrong.

It feels really icky and gives me goosebumps, this might be the effect of [Danger Sense] but up until now, it still hasn't failed me yet, I know there's something there, I just have to be prepared for it.

The orb pulsed faintly again, as though reacting to the tension.

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The scent hit me first—faint, but unmistakable. A sickly sweet odor that made my nose wrinkle. It was familiar, though I couldn't quite place where I'd smelled it before.

[Danger Sense] hummed louder, and I froze, my ears swiveling toward the sound of distant movement.

Snap.

A twig cracked somewhere to my left, and my heart leaped into my throat. My body tensed instinctively, ready to activate [Bounce] at the first sign of trouble.

The bushes rustled, and then it emerged.

At first glance, I thought it was another ferret. But as it stepped into the faint sunlight filtering through the trees, I realized it was something else entirely.

Its body was low and sleek, covered in mottled black fur that shimmered faintly with a strange, oily sheen. Its legs were long and spindly, ending in sharp claws that clicked softly against the ground. And its eyes—glowed with an unnatural yellow light, bright and piercing in the dim forest; a panther.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," I whispered, backing away slowly. "What even is that thing?!"

It wasn't just a predator. It was something far worse.

At that moment, I knew for sure, that thing was out to get his dinner, seeing the excitement in its body language.

The creature tilted its head, its glowing eyes locking onto mine. And then it smiled. A grotesque, jagged grin that sent a chill down my spine, making me shiver and stop thinking.

[Danger Sense] screamed in my mind, and I barely had time to react before it lunged.

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I activated [Bounce] at the last second, launching myself into the air as the creature's claws raked through the space where I'd been standing. It landed gracefully, its spindly legs absorbing the impact with ease, and immediately turned to face me again.

"Alright, alright, calm down!" I shouted, darting to the side as it lunged again. "Let's talk about this like civilized beings! Or, you know, just let me go and I'll promise not to hold a grudge and take revenge!"

The creature didn't respond, of course. Instead, it crouched low to the ground, its glowing eyes narrowing as it tracked my every movement. It was fast—faster than the ferrets I'd faced before—and far more intelligent.

This wasn't a fight I could win with brute force.

[Danger Sense] buzzed sharply as the creature lunged again, its claws slicing through the air with terrifying precision. I barely dodged in time, activating [Bounce] to launch myself out of its reach. My legs burned with the effort, but I couldn't afford to slow down.

The creature was relentless, darting through the underbrush with inhuman agility. Every time I tried to gain distance, it was right there, snapping at my heels.

I twisted mid-air and delivered a [Kick] to its side, feeling the impact reverberate through my legs.

[Unknown Predator]

[HP: 34/40.]

It stumbled, letting out a low, guttural growl that sent shivers down my spine. But the attack barely seemed to faze it.

"Of course," I muttered, panting as I landed. "Of course, you're tougher than a ferret. Why wouldn't you be?!"