前のエピソード――Chapter 6: The Ways of the Warrior

"Hah Hah Hah Hah"

The figure of a man can be seen running disheveled and ragged behind two women who expertly move about in the forest. They occasionally move up and down the prominent trees in the dense forest sometimes jumping from branch to branch with precision and accuracy you'd only think they were machines.

Such a man was currently on a faraway forest in another world running himself ragged participating in training he himself had asked for the day before, now currently behind two massive, yet beautiful older women bouncing to and from the nearby treetops you'd only see on movies about guerrilla warfare, but the difference was the distance and power behind each of the moves they, the women moved.

He didn't have his usual pensive look which he wore to analyze whatever situation he found himself in. Today was his second day of the seven-day work week that was part of his training he himself had asked for as counter measure for this world future dangers and unbeknownst.to him, despite Pam's objection both Rhea and Shima readily took his plea and decided to proceed with what can only be described as Spartan training. things however weren't turning out so well for Richard as he was currently sporting a look that would normally be found in your average morgue cadavers lying still in wait for their autopsy.

Richard ran haggard trying with all his will power not to lose to the women as he had pride in his manhood and had secretly declared that he would exploit his new physical limits with all his might, he tried to keep up with the women who despite having been on constant movement the entire morning, both had no signs of exhaustion shown on neither facial expression nor did their movements dulled at the prolonged exercise. Such exhibition showcased the difference in the upbringing and physical prowess between humans and demi humans, no it showed his lack of endurance only highlighting the difference in having the option to call it quits whenever he wanted back in his old world, This made a huge contrast versus the endurance one gains through the hardships of survival in a cruel world where you can be killed by monsters.

"Hah Hah Hah Hah"

"What's the matter kid? Show me your pride as a man I've heard about in your stories." Said Rhea teasingly yet not mockingly which only made it worse. Richard had decided to share some information from his world and while he deliberately left out as much of the technological advances he knew off since he didn't want to spend weeks trying to create blueprint and simply explaining it all to the village chief and her family was a huge pain in the ass.

"Give me a break! haven't you heard overtraining it's bad you" Richard spoke up in protest but neither Shima nor Rhea reacted only moving quickly in and out of focus in a goal they had in mind.

In the other hand, there was Richard who kept running and bouncing similarly to what both Rhea and Shima were doing in front of him or tried to anyway. both Rhea and Shima weren't hazing Richard at all with this extreme course of parkour developing on the forest of the Heim Village. The training from Richard's perspective was getting him acquainted with forests and since he had abnormal capabilities that Pam hadn't heard about in humans. Rhea in the other hand, had devised a strategy to push Richard to his very limits, even if his soul died a little.

Did she care that much for him? Not really. however, she liked training people with potential and Richard had that furthermore her youngest daughter Raksha who currently waited at home for Richard's return had taken a liking to him. Pam, Rhea and even the normally uncaring Shima had seen through the feelings that were now sprouting from Raksha and although they felt complicated, they understood that kind of interest may help her grow as a person. This was because Raksha had shown dominance and assertiveness that she otherwise did not show prior to meeting Richard.

One thing to note was that unlike his old world back on Earth, Richard was able to do things he hadn't been able to do even as a active basketball athlete in his High School. This drastic change of environment and sudden physical punishment naturally gave way to complications.

[Wheeeze]

[Cough, Cough!]

[Wheeeeeze]

[Cough, Cough!]

Despite Richard's increase in vitality and endurance upon arrival to this world. the stark difference between their upbringing could not be hidden from Richard as he now mentally berated himself for having suggested this hellish bootcamp. On his defense, Richard had no way of knowing this was the outcome that awaited him once he decided to go for the survival training course he was now being subjected to.

Things will only get worse he thought, and he wasn't wrong.

"Slow down Rhea!" I muttered in a voice so low I could barely hear myself. My world had shattered, I thought that with my new physical specs I would be able to keep up with the natives here but I'm barely holding out with my dear life. I mused at the state of things as I sluggishly chased after my teachers and was inwardly astonished at the high speeds both Rhea and Shima displayed in front of me, not waiting for me for at least a minute to give me a chance to recover.

"You're going to need to keep up boy! otherwise you're spending the night by yourself in this monster ridden forest. After our sparring yesterday I know you'd survive an attack or two and most monsters here you could escape anyway" Sneered Rhea as her black fur turned invisible in briefs moments whenever she was covered by the shade of the thick vegetation all around us. The forest looked different than the tall trees with a lot of space in North America, the vegetation was closer together usually leaving very few gaps to allow light from the sun in.

It wasn't as hard to see as it would be in the jungle but for a city boy, this forest meant certain death regardless of how they looked. that said I didn't appreciate the way Rhea and Shima sometimes talked to me.

"Give me a break" I shot back as I pursued her relentlessly. It surprised me that I could even keep up to this extent despite the fact that every joint in my body is screaming in pain and my muscles feel as if they were about to be torn to shreds. I can already feel the spasms that herald the incoming muscle cramps. It's going to be hell tonight I thought to myself as I followed as close as I could behind Shima since her hair was silver it was much easier to follow her rather than her mother who had jet black fur.

That said I don't think I could track her even if her fur was a lighter color though, that's how adept she is at shaking off trackers.

"Hoh! You like following me eh Richard?" asked Shima noticing my pursuit of her back under the trees not turning around to look at me but she was all too aware of my presence behind her as I struggled to keep up with her. "You can't blame me, Shima. I'm not a forest person nor do I roam them on my day-to-day life. following you it's just common sense." I shot back as Shima briefly turned and gave me a wicked grin.

Rhea in the other hand has once again disappeared under my watch once again reaffirming my

beliefs that going after Shima was the right choice. Sensing my thoughts by my expression of sourness at my own tactics Shima quickly accelerating under the trees and the streaks of light that poured from the noon sun illuminated her silver fur given her already fantasy look even greater impact to a earthling like me.

It's must have been maybe 1:00PM in the afternoon. I think to myself slightly and ponder about the lengths of time I have been doing this but give up as I now speed up and try to catch up with Shima as I notice how the sun it's a little past it's way point in the sky, we've going at it for hours since sunrise and honestly think they're overdoing the training. "Boy, I know it's easier to follow after Shima given her hair but that will get you nowhere in times of need, If it ever comes a time where you're pursuing or are being pursued by someone who is of interest in your life, That's beside the point for now, you know that we are only doing this under your request right?." interrupted Rhea as black shadow appeared from out of nowhere once again and stood a couple of branches above me for a little while.

As to why she and the rest of us found ourselves atop the trees, I did not know but I think it had to do with the many monsters which stay on solid ground. I think perhaps running with abandon openly on the forest floor would trigger some form of stampede to chase after us and possibly not only hurt us but make it all the way back to the Village of Heim. I don't know for sure but that's my best guess thinking so I decided to throw a question back at her.

As I came to a slight stop, I asked.: " Why? Isn't part of survival being crafty?" in a joking manner as I took this very moment to take a slight rest building up back my stamina to withstand further abuse, they may throw at me,

Despite my light remark I could feel my body wanting to collapse in exhaustion given the severity of the workout I had just been subjected to and would probably sleep right here on the spot should I let up the entirety of the tension, In fact I think I may be hallucinating as I am thinking of that primitive bed I've been sleeping on in the past two days since my arrival. It's kind of incredible that I'm not thinking back on my own home at all,

This all showcases how fast humans accommodate to their environments when the situation calls for it, but I knew very well I couldn't do that as perfect as I thought I could. Although I could not see her expression Rhea was in no mood for jokes or witty comebacks since the pressure, she gave off for just a moment after my remark made my muscles slightly tense bringing back the muscle memory of my clashes with the sword, I had with both her and her daughter Shima, Rhea was serious.

She turned around and started moving and spoke." Shima and I are already established hunters' kid, and we thrive in the forest for a living. You can try taking shortcuts all you want but it's your head on a pike should you fail to protect yourself, I need to remind you that life isn't kind to those who cheat." voiced Rhea in a emotionless voice which somehow creeped me out a bit more than when she shows more emotion and she seemed to be thinking of something as I could see her tail move in ways that I could sense she was in deep thought. Her expression still absents from my vision, I considered that she may move for abandonment since she had mentioned it just before but since I didn't want to be abandoned in the forest, I couldn't help but feel absolute dread at the notion that this woman wouldn't go easy on me for my foolish tactics.

Noticing the changed in mood I decided to ask "Rhea, in all of this when are we going to hunt? all we've been doing is run across the forest since sun rise and my training for the next part is important too, right? I mean hunting is part of survival, right?" I asked trying to change the focus of whatever she was thinking and have her focus on my question to demonstrate a modicum of initiative.

"Hah?" muttered Rhea slightly puzzled at my remark and then it hit her since that's the expression I would make once something made sense, another thing to note is that her tail came to a absolute stop. Having come to a stop she turned back slightly from a distance of about 13 meters away from me and spoke. "You really haven't noticed a thing kid?" said Rhea in a puzzled but with more dismay in her tone. "You don't really think we've been meaninglessly running atop the trees for no reason at all right? kid?" Rhea further inquired to confirm before adding "Take a look around you Boy. Tell me what you see?" asked Rhea as her figure took a look openly around us as if to invite me to do the same.

Rhea is once again wearing her black robes. I can't see Shima anywhere around me anymore damn it. I must have lost her on my conversation with Rhea here. What do I do?

I take a look around and everything is semi well lit, I could see the sunrays peek through the leaves, and it was enough that no form of illumination was necessary for me to see but things feel eerily quiet for some reason. That's weird, normally those damn birds would be all in their chattering in a forest this well-lit. That said as well as I could see, Rhea and her robes could still pull a disappearing act in front of me, and I wouldn't know where to begin looking for her.

[Squeeeek]

"What the-" I mumbled.

[Squeeeeeeek]

I hurriedly look down from the tree I had climbed and spotted a couple of small shadows moving at unbelievable speeds all over the ground right below, coming in and out of view from the leaves, small logs and overall foliage that provide hiding spaces for small animals. I crouch down a little to get a better look atop the branch that I was on and spot Shima moving like a speeding bullet throwing small knives to the moving blurs out in the forest. Shima's speed is no less impressive and given that the rabbits were moving faster than rodents would move back on Earth she has definitely exceeded what I thought possible.

"That makes nineteen Lightning Rabbits in total so far" said Shima as she came to a stop while carrying several dead rabbits on her hands, the rest were strung together all around her hips. She was bloody for sure, but the blood wasn't as prevalent as you'd see with larger animals. Shima for today is also wearing a black attire just like her mother, shocking still is the fact that a person who measures such a height of 200cm tall,

Shima has that kind of muscular body and normally uses such a giant sword which would move as fast as she does but she also hunts small game such as rabbits too who are smaller prey than your average monster boar where more brawns is necessary rather than speedy precision I would think,

Taking all of this into account I thought secretly how impressive she was as the image I had of Shima continued to improve as time went by, I think she was very attractive despite her large size but Raksha had her charms too and she somewhat reminded me of home since her feminine energy is quite different to me that what I feel from the villagers at large and even the rest of her family lost in my thoughts I realized that both Rhea and Shima stared at me in amusement.

What's even crazier is the fact that Shima isn't ragged or disheveled due to our movements from morning till now or the hunt she just took part in hunting those small rabbits. I can easily hear my joints creaking like a old bunk bed under the weight of a cannon ball..., Okay maybe not hear but I can feel it if that makes sense.

"Kid, you saw those rabbits?" Asked Rhea as she came back from where she was in a instant and approached me with a eerie smile plastered on her face, she wasn't threatening me or anything yet so she allowed enough time for me to think or so I thought. "Yeah, I see them. I got to say that I didn't think such a big person could move that fast in a place with so much vegetation and obstacles around." I honestly gave my praise to Shima as from a ordinary person's point of view what she had done was nothing short of amazing.

This wasn't the answer they were looking for as they paid my flattering words no mind and continued.

"Well, those critters are called Lighting Rabbits Richard, and they aren't the sweet creatures they appear to be based on their looks" she said almost looking like she was holding down her own excitement Shima rattled on as she gestured towards her mother to continue the rest letting her finish the explanation. "Yeah, that's right. Care to venture why that is Kid?" Asked Rhea taking the cue from her daughter. Rhea had a very eerie look that looked very frightening. Her smile gave me goosebumps that made hairs I didn't know I had stand on end. these pair are absolute lunatics, I really need to get out of here soon I thought.

"W-Well" I stammered. I looked everywhere and took a good look at the rabbits that hung on ==Shima's waist. They were your run of the mill rabbits from my perspective not much different from my world but there was one difference. The furs were slightly different, while almost identical to the rabbit's earthlings would be accustomed to back on earth there was a difference that was becoming all too apparent, the fur looked a little stiff. I can't put my finger on it but it looked odd. The rabbits also had a protruding horn in the forehead that was bone white with a black tip.

The fur wasn't wet though, nor did it have any beauty products like humans used back on earth to stylize their hair. Such as hair gel. the problem was that the fur was rather inflexible looking, Rhea and Shima had lost their patience fed up with my immersion of deep thought, Rhea came even closer and asked once again.

"What is it kid? Answer why do you think they're called Lightning Rabbits?" Rhea said sounding a clearly fed up. "Should we just tell him mother? he doesn't have enough time to explore our quizzes since he'd be gone in a couple of days" Shima had lost her teasing nature and wanted to get things over with.

She approached me as she jumped from branch to branch very nimble and quiet with her movement. "Well, is it because they're lighting fast? I said, honestly, I could venture with more a better guess, but I do want to make them pay even if slightly by being obtuse After all I only have a little bit left of the original seven days we had decided on. Shima voiced the same sentiments. Before he moves out, it is better to tell him what he needs otherwise Raksha would hate us if he let him off unprepared." commented Shima annoyed at the slow pace we were moving in our training and Rhea felt the same way I could tell.

However, Shima had not a eerie smile but one of obvious excitement that I didn't think she'd have. Her breathing was picking up in ways it hadn't during her chase of the rabbits for sure, her movement were fantastic and so were her movements, but she never once picked up her breathing in the way she is doing right now and it pretty much creeped me out a little since this battle junkie wouldn't get that excited for nothing, Thinking about it calmly isn't her physique wasted on small game, Thinking so my alarm bells sounded off.

Something is very wrong here.

"Is it because they move lighting fast?" I ventured this time a little more impatient than before. "They only look slightly different from the ones in my world after all, Except the fur is all stiff looking and the horn in its head" I finished. "Hah!" exclaimed Rhea with a slight look of scorn. "You'd think if they were the weakling that you mention roamed about in your world, we would be training you here kid?" Asked Rhea completely amused. She took out a animal skin like container that held some kind of liquid, water perhaps? she took one big swig and exhaled.

"Haaaah! That was a good drink just after a little light warm up. Listen kid, these critters are very much dangerous and can, and will kill entire villages overnight ya hear?" Said Rhea totally serious as she turned to look at me once she had taken a drink of her cantina, I think it's called. That aside her enthusiasm with such dangerous creatures didn't escape my radar, there is more to this isn't there.

"W-what are these things? I don't like the way you're smiling there Rhea" The inner wimp in me escaped me for a bit but I managed to tone down the cowardice. I can't look like a wimp in front of my would-be instructor, specially someone who would abandon me if she spots any weakness.

"Welcome to the rest of your training Richard! We're about to have so much fun like yesterday. Oh here they are! Get ready boy" said Shima excitedly as my question fell on deaf ears for the pair of women in the surroundings.

[Rustle, Rustle, Rustle, Rustle]

Leaves are disturbed, some shrubs move around but just hearing the nearby vegetation move about out of nowhere put me slightly on guard before Shima exclaimed both excitedly and tense at the same time. "They're here mom, the whole lot is here for us to hunt down" declared Shima with radiating bloodlust in her eyes at the surroundings which only excited the nearby disturbances even more. Her fur stood on sharp like small needles and her ears mover slightly back. the presence they were both giving was out of this world.

I do wonder if you can sense intent as strong as they are back on earth, I thought with a slight shiver.

[Squeek]

"Fantastic!" Said Rhea smiling from ear to ear readying up while she took a stance as if ready to launch. "Seriously what's going on?" I straightened up on guard and asked, I looked all around slight tremors here and there, but I manage to keep them under control at the bad news. these two lunatics were expecting these monsters and we saw around fifty rabbits rustling on the leaves and their numbers seemed to be steadily increasing by tens and twenties at a time.

"Damn it" I almost hissed. I didn't quite understand what these were, but my instincts were telling me to keep my guard up and run for the hills. It was as if I were being surrounded by a pack of hungry hyenas, not that I've ever been around them but it's the sort of creature you can preemptively foresee how painful your death will be just seeing how they eat on nature channels in the US.

I take another look around and reflectively grasp at my sword in my waist that I had been given after my sparring match yesterday. I almost lost both of my arms in that brutal exchange but boy was I a little at ease at the prospect of being armed. Nothing beats the feeling of having a gun, but this will do for now. I wonder what a bow and arrow feel like, I thought trying to steel my increasing nerves and stop the slight tremors that sometimes leaked out in my limbs.

[Swish!]

"W-what t-the?" I exclaimed as I see a short sword coming towards me in a less than a quarter of a second. Sure, enough a short sword flies straight past me as I flexibly move slightly to avoid having my head removed from my body., the sword flew by unimpeded at a astonishing speed missing my left ear by mere centimeters at best and struck at the direction my backside was facing where there was a Rabbit right above me. She had killed it instantly and pinned it to the tree trunk in the forest, I could tell that that rabbit's small horn was slightly wet. Don't tell me-.

The rodent to no one's surprises smelled foul like roadkill and the mixed smell of dirt and iron from the blood of these creatures were an all-out assault on the nose. "Ugh" I covered my nose a little with my robes that I've been given and heard many other rabbits screech at their demise brought about the systematic slaughter that both Rhea and Shima dished out.

[Squeeeeeeeeeeeek]

"Careful Richard, you don't want these critters to land a hit on ya!" said Shima as she grabbed one of her many daggers that she had brought along. This time around. She wasn't using her giant sword all too much which made sense since you're not going to hunt small pray with a slow and massive weapon all around in the forest.

[Squeeeeek]

I hurriedly turned around and slashed at another rabbit that had pounced at me, this one had most definitely aimed for me. I've heard it move around from my backside too and took a chance but to think such a creature that would otherwise be thought as a cute rabbit would be so homed in into killing others or at the very least leave them paralyzed in the middle of the forest. "Good reflexes kid." praised Rhea as her face now was a little tense but not so tense to leak out any form of fear but still smiling. She moved a from branch to branch striking one rabbit after another which now were lunging at us as a increasing rate but something off.

I briefly look down and notice there are several small bodies coming together from all over the forest, some rabbits have begun to feast on their fallen comrades and little by little I realize the reason I was lead around jumping through branches. If we had ran along in the floor like I wanted we would have been ambushed more easily from all side, or rather it would have been me that one who got taken down.

"These things could have attacked me two days ago, wouldn't they?" I asked really to the environment since I hadn't aimed the question at anyone. "You bet! Listen Kid part of this exercise is to have you develop vantage points since many monsters here will dogpile you when you let your guard down. You were lucky all you had to fight was a single Monster boar" exclaimed Rhea as she moved about without stopping.

"It doesn't hurt to collect free meat for the village either" said Shima as she in passing as now the number of rabbits she had multiplied by a factor of four. they weren't lying about collecting meat. "I did stir them this way though, they normally don't come at you in this number randomly. they do pose a risk to our kids though, so it all works out" she finished such a dangerous line so casually.

You're telling these things wouldn't organically have come at me this way? then what the hell? I wanted to see other creatures and perhaps see them take down a monster boar so I can take notes myself.

"Why are these rabbit lunging at us? " I asked slightly perturbed. Shima turned to me with a face flushed with excitement and begun jumping about in perfect synchronization with her mother.

[Squeek]

Another fell and I was slightly trembling at the carnage. Don't get me wrong, I don't fear something like rabbits but they're rodents and rodents bite hard with teeth laced with bacteria, viruses etc. I'm not so stupid to allow myself to get rabies or similar on a world with no advanced medicine that i know off, plus i had seen these things feast on the corpses of their own buddies. Seeing a horde of rabbits would frighten anyone, that increases several folds if they're as vicious as these things are, I thought consoling myself trying to escape reality on and off during the battle as I slashed and cut incoming rabbits trying to hit me.

"Good movement kid, keep it up and kill these things eh! otherwise, our death won't be a pretty one as you have already guess based on your trembling" said Rhea from a far with a chuckle,

Damn this woman! I cursed them in my mind as I tried very hard to keep up slaying the pest all around me. It was hard at first but ever since I killed and stabbed that boar back then, I haven't felt as bad killing these things. That kind of thing makes me scared of what humans will do once they do things, they never thought themselves able to do before being put in a situation like this one.

Now I was moving even faster than before falling into a rhythm as the corpses made small mountains in the forest all around me, but I was int the zone, and Shima was also hunting all that came near her and had piles of corpses all around her too." You see kid these rabbits won't bite you at first, that comes after seeing that you're immobilized for good. No, these rabbits don't just move fast as their name suggest but expel toxins on their fur that if handled wrong your entire body won't do as you want. your body will disobey, and it will feel like you're being shaken from the insides by thousands of ants in your veins and muscles.

Did she just say what I think she did? I quickly eye all my body to make sure there isn't any liquid sticking to my skin or the like to which Shima added/ "Don't worry Richard, these things must break the skin so having their liquid won't do anything to you. If you're cut and are bleeding that's another story though" Shima said like nothing as her massive frame didn't slow down at all.

Her figure and the way she is makes me think she wants a friend. Raksha is far more open about her feelings in comparison. I wonder if human women here are the same too, I thought.

[Squeeeeeeeeeek]

I stand corrected. She is a lunatic! She is beheading rabbits with short swords and what are basically knives. how is she doing that?

[Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek]

I slashed at another one that came at me while i was slightly distracted. "Why are they called Lightning Rabbits then? It sounds to me that these things are just poisonous." I said fed up with all the secrecy that both Rhea and Shima were displaying, they're basically spoon feeding me information and that's driving me nuts I thought as she moved around slashing at these critters as she had called them one after another, but these things wouldn't give up. I could see hordes and hordes all round, No end to their numbers. I estimate about at least three thousand remaining.

"It's because humans can use their poison to move fast like lightning. Apparently, the elves taught them some potion recipe for enhancement, you can concoct a potion that makes your muscles move at extreme speeds in a pinch if you prepare it the right way, but the backlash is pretty nasty. It is because of that our people don't use them but sell em for profit. I hear that's good money from Pam, so it works out kid! She sells them to the merchants who tell her these things are classified as Team S Class." Rhea rattled on in a good mood as her face looked brighter the more blood covered us.

"Team S Class?" I cocked my head as I keep slashing at these demonic rabbits as my stamina ran out little by little. "Not now kid, keep at it" said Rhea as she continued to pile the bodies of these rodents.

"W-what? Why?" I asked shocked, you can't just say something that useful and not continue with good information. However, leaving aside the Team S Class comment that may allude to the possibility of a Guild here. Doesn't this mean that this poison forces you into using your bio electricity or something to forcibly move faster manually. That sound dangerous as hell, what are the humans thinking using something so batshit crazy.

[Swisssssh]

I ducked down and Rhea slashed at two Lighting Rabbits that had jumped at me once again from behind. "W-what's g-going on h-here?" I exclaimed as I could feel the terror expanding in my body and some tremors made it to my extremities. "We're helping you out Richard" said Shima as if that explained everything before continuing as she kept talking without slowing down. Rhea and Shima were Systematically taking down one rabbit after another with perfect timing.: These rabbits will be the village's food for the foreseeable future but they're likely to be your future killers once you leave out village" said Shima without slowing down.

"By the way we also don't use these things poison because we don't need them like the humans do. there are rumors that non-magical humans use these things in case of emergency or something chuckled Rhea with disdain in her eyes. "Also, these critters can use their own poison and move as fast as you're seeing them move right now" explained Rhea returning to her otherwise stoic face once again with slight blush of her excitement still visible.

"W-whaaaaa?" a raspy voice leaked out from my voice. It sounded like the voice of a zombie who had nothing to drink for years. It was so dry that it scared me and it was my own damn voice.

I was horrified. I looked at these rodents with terror. these things could so something as outrageous as to drug themselves to kill and torture their victims? I thought "That's absolutely insane! Wait, are these things carnivores by default or just stress eat like normal rabbits?" I asked thinking back at the tales I've heard of mother rabbits eating their young when stressed despite just eating veggies normally when not. "Not exactly but once they paralyze their target, they will nibble you to death at best or just outright take out your eyes, arteries and even your tongue while you fall with paralysis." said Shima with a hearty laugh.

"....." I was speechless at the horror of these creatures.

"Yep, these critters are outright evil" Continued Rhea. "What?" I exclaimed shocked at what I was hearing. "Less talking and more moving Richard, don't let their fur touch you otherwise you'll be left for dead, but you already know that right?" said Shima ending it there.

"Fine then." I exhaled and took out additional short swords I had also received since I didn't want to use knives as Shima had done. my other pairs had flown into the trees when I attempted to nail rabbits to the trunks as Rhea and Shima had done, I failed though. Anyway, most likely these things use some form of motor skill poison-based solution on their fur, despite being rabbits these things have somethings in common with porcupines. I thought except with the whole poisonous sadistic thing going on and the horn on their foreheads.

I began jumping to others branches then landed occasionally on the ground to fight off some that still remained at the forest floors before making my way back at the branches above incase my excursion had called more towards me, so I needed a vintage point. Both Rhea and Shima who now were completely silent and into the hunt of the rabbits, I wonder how much money the village will make from this loot. I took another look around and decide to kill as they came at me while I moved enough not to be surrounded and ambushed from behind. These "Lightning Rabbits" lunge at you as if they were projectiles looking to collide with the target. "Suicidal Bastards" I thought with disgust as the image of the cute rabbits I once knew became tarnished with these things all around me. I will never think of them as cute animals ever again i swore in my heart.

[Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek]

"Ugh" I once again covered my nose as the smell of rust and blood continue to soak in the ground. the smell of shredded flash and blood was so potent that I tried very hard not to hurl at the ground I stood in. I kept moving from and off branches to other branches putting some distance from the ground and myself to oversee from a high ground. I have to make sure those demons are dead for good, even if a little sloppy, but I think I'm doing okay. I'm a modern man who just happens to play basketball after all, you can't expect me to be a master huntsman or something plus I'm no gymnast either.

"Heads up kid! These things blood will attract a couple of Monster Boars so we better pack it up! if we don't want to get stomped to death by those things that is." said Rhea looking lively as a cucumber. I can't take her seriously with that attitude but knowing her battle fanaticism alongside her daughters, I wouldn't be surprised if she genuinely did not fear Death.

{Female Shrieks in the distance]

Rhea and Shima came to a sudden stop and turned around after killing almost all the rabbits in the area by themselves. "That doesn't sound like our problem to me" said Shima with disinterest in her voice and she went back to work with the clean-up. To me however Those shrieks sound like at least four women and quite young at that. "What do you mean there is no problem? People are in trouble" I immediately shot back at Shima.

Normally I'm not a goody two shoes that will show up for others sake, but I can't act like someone's life is of no concern to me after having been rescued myself.

"Hoh, you want to be the hero here kid. You know what you're asking right?" Asked Rhea with a low voice as if it came from the very bowls of the earth, who knew a woman could drop her tone to that level I thought as I felt a slight chill move over just a second. She then turned back sizing me up slowly with glowing yet firm stare with her yellow pupils that seemed to radiate light ominously from the few shadows under the trees on the still very much dark shade of the trees. It must've been now close to four in the afternoon now given the position of the sun. We've been exterminating. These damn rabbits for hours now. "Listen kid, the lesson here was to keep track of your surroundings, make profits for the village and gather a surplus of meat while we were at it. naturally pest control for the Village of Heim came after that, and then was to make sure you don't get done in by these things when you leave our village got it?" She continued.

"You don't actually think you're ready yet do you?" said Shima cut in giving me a slight cold glance for the first time in a while. normally while she did assault me, she behaved more like a grown mischievous girl with a fanatism for battle. this time however she was dead serious. I could not escape with a witty comment. Shima continued as she was doing tethering the corpses on the lightning rabbits with thin ropes using their feet, preparing them to transport them in a sack. "You wouldn't be waiting on us if you were truly ready but you're willing to commit or in the cusps of committing anyway". she said with a little indifference. I could see her profile as she did her duties with the practice hand of a veteran in a mostly silence forest for now.

Shima continued as she was, now filling up sack of dead corpses of the "Lightning Rabbits" we had hunted and proceeded to slightly clean the blood off her blades, once finished she sighed and turned around to face the opposite direction and started walking back to the village talking to me one last time with her back turned the entire time to me and spoke. "You're free to go Richard. Mother and I won't hold you in these lands" she said in a rather gentle tone showing some empathy to me but low voice just loud enough for me to hear, her massive frame betrayed the intimidation that came naturally given her physique "but if you decide to go, know that neither mom nor I will take you back in the village once you've committed with your decision" having said her piece Shima walked into the distance and begun moving a faster speed until she vanished from my sights.

Rhea was doing her thing all along the whole time, yet she was in full agreement with her daughter Shima. In that whole exchange Rhea never once interrupted her daughter even once. what Shima had said was the truth and should I leave, there is no coming back to the village of Heim.

{Female Screams intensify with Horror]

"!!"

I jump slightly as another shriek resounded on the forest that made the now silent forest appear more earie than it was originally when Shima left. I have to be thankful that I was given shelter and that I was found when I was, If I hadn't those darn rabbits would have made short work of me. That is the reason I can't ignore those women; they could have been me if I hadn't been picked up by Raksha and the rest. I wouldn't have the luxury of screaming and have anyone listen to my wails for help. I am in that position now though.

I unconsciously balled up my fists and Rhea came closer and placed a hand on my right shoulder and spoke. "Kid listen up. You got several more days to train but, should you decide to go with those people, they would be human for sure and given where they are I think the possibility of them being adventurers is very high. If you joined with them, I believe they would and could make it to human civilization back with you without a hitch and you can see for a way back to your world or at least find more clues than would here in these lands. couldn't you also finish up here and live out your life? probably but that's not what you want right?"

I shook my head a little to the sides answering her genuine concern for me.

Her yellow eyes pierced deep into my soul, and she went on. "However, things won't go all okay you know. Pam has told me stories and men seem to be something of a commodity in the Kingdom of Nosfalt". she spoke as she gripped my shoulder a little. her voice though firm conveyed deep concern for my person, even though she had just met me, Rhea was deeply concerned for my wellbeing, but that thought was cut short.

"Paula hold them off! Hold the damn rabbits off!"???

A somewhat low voice resounded in the forest of a woman sounding very early on her thirties towards someone from her group. I knew it those damn rabbits got someone very much involved with my problems, our problems and I have to take responsibility for that otherwise they may be killed.

Rhea all the while stood there waiting to see my next move as if to say (Your move kid).

"I'm trying damn it! They're too many for us to defeat Laura". Paula yelled in return.

[Squeeeek]

"!!!" another rabbit dead in the distance I thought as I tried to keep calm and think things through but the desperation on that voice that came before the shriek of the rabbit wasn't one of complacence. that was clearly an emergency, and I was now in the crossroads to either doing something to stop their imminent death or allowing their death to happen.

{Squeeeek]

Another rabbit? they're fighting them I thought as my muscles now loosened readily to keep fighting should the need arise instead of tensing up in fear the same way they had earlier when we first started exterminating that plague, but they don't sound to be very numerous as the ones we fought, I was fighting with Rhea and Shima a great number of them, but they were far noisier than what I'm hearing now. "I'm trying but these things are too fast, and we can't escape" Came the voice of the person named Paula, It seemed to be the person that answered.

"Laura they're not moving. Both Monica and Olga have been paralyzed by these infernal creatures. We need to run now!" yelled a voice lazed with horror, the voice could be said to belong to someone perhaps near my age. IT seems that voice was the girl named Paula yelling to this Laura woman with the deep voice. She sounded a little similar to my sister, not identical but close enough and that similarity was enough for me to make up my mind. suddenly something snapped inside of me, and I had to get moving even if I had to do it alone. I can't let her down! I thought my mind becoming fully white with panic and a rush of adrenaline overcame me completely.

I broke into a sprint and headed towards the screams. "Kid Wait! You sure you won't regret this?" Yelled Rhea in the background. I didn't care though, I know it's nonsensical and it's not like me, but I can't leave those people be devoured. I won't be able to sleep soundly at night ever again.

[Stomp]

I accelerated even faster than I was already going giving it my all like an idiot "Rhea those women are being attacked by Lightning Rabbits and that's clearly our fault!" I yelled towards the shrinking image of Rhea standing still in the place where she had stood by my side unmoving at my plea that came out of desperation for those women and girls.