"Kkwi-uu!"
Follow me!
"...?!"
While I was running hard, Kkwi-kku had caught up to me at some point and surged ahead.
A rabbit's running speed was on a whole different level from a human's.
I stared at Kkwi-kku's plump rear as I turned my legs in the direction it was leading.
"Kkwi-uk!"
There's a pit up ahead!
"Got it!"
No further explanation was needed.
Kkwi-kku and I were already a dream team.
I deliberately slowed down to become the hobgoblin shaman's target.
"What are you doing?!"
Ellicia gasped as she shot past me.
Thinking I was sacrificing myself for her, her eyes shimmered with emotion.
Whoooosh—
"Tch!"
Feeling heat on my back, I threw myself aside to dodge.
Boom!
A fireball exploded right where I'd been standing.
"Kee-eek!"
The shaman stuck right behind me.
Instead of casting more spells, it drew its long claws and gave chase.
Just as the hobgoblin's claws were about to rake my back, I poured on full speed again.
The spot Kkwi-kku had mentioned was right in front of me.
Huff... huff... Please take the bait!
Whoosh!
Splat!
Pretending to dive into the thick bushes, I quickly stabbed my butchering dagger into the ground to anchor myself.
Crunch—
"Ngh!"
A sharp pain exploded in my left shoulder, but I barely kept from tumbling into the pit.
"Kee-eek!"
The hobgoblin shaman leaped over me, claws swinging.
It had jumped with all its might to crush me as I dove into the bushes.
"Kee-eek?!"
And it had jumped right into the deep pit.
Thud crash!
"Phew... Success."
The shaman had fallen in.
The pit was about 5 meters deep—too much for a hobgoblin to climb out on its own.
Kkwi-kku had found an excellent trap.
Its artificial shape suggested a player had dug it.
"Kee-eek! Kee-ee-eek!"
Trapped in the pit, the hobgoblin shaman thrashed wildly with its claws. But its bulk was too much; it couldn't scale the dirt walls.
"Now, how do we finish it off."
Various options came to mind.
I could bury it alive or pelt it with stones.
But both would take too long.
Reforming a party to hunt hobgoblins would be more efficient.
"You okay?!"
Ellicia, who'd fled with me, called from behind a tree.
Peeking out cautiously, she seemed ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble.
An archer, huh?
Her bow and quiver caught my eye.
The party had disbanded when we fled, but her weapon was the perfect tool for taking down the hobgoblin shaman efficiently.
I needed to recruit her.
"Yeah! Come here—it's safe. I've got it trapped in the pit, so we just need to finish it off."
"...Huh?!"
"Just come on!"
"...Okay."
Ellicia crept closer, ever cautious.
"Whoa! You're amazing. How'd you think of this?"
She exclaimed upon seeing the shaman in the pit.
"Kee-eek! Ke-gegek!"
The thing glared at us with bloodshot eyes, murderous intent radiating from its gaze.
Suddenly, it launched a surprise fireball.
Fwoosh!
"Whoops."
"Kyaa!"
I ducked just in time to avoid the fireball.
Desperate to survive, it was racking its brain—but it was just a rat in a trap.
"You okay?!"
"Yeah, fine. I could've dodged anyway. And I didn't dig the pit—it was just lucky timing."
"Whoa, still epic. Spotting that pit and using it on the fly? You're a genius."
"Haha, nah."
I chuckled awkwardly at her praise.
Of course, I hadn't forgotten her earlier cursing.
She'd ditched the party with me and run, and despite her friendly facade, who knew when she'd stab me in the back.
"Anyway, we need to kill it. Ellicia, hit it with your arrows. I'll support with stones."
"Got it. And thanks—for saving me back there."
"No biggie. We gotta help each other out."
I'd had no intention of saving her, but I let the misunderstanding stand. Who knows? She might repay me with 10 coppers later.
"Kkwi-kku, fetch some rocks."
"Kkwi-uu."
Kkwi-kku nodded eagerly.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I started pelting it with the hefty stones Kkwi-kku brought.
Ellicia fired arrows into the pit.
"Hya!"
Swoosh—thunk!
"Kee-ek!"
The hobgoblin shaman screeched as my stone hit home.
Slamming them down hard seemed to do solid damage.
Scree—thunk!
"Kru-eek! Kee-ee-ee-ek...!"
An arrow lodged in the shaman's head, right at the crown.
A critical hit, maybe? It thrashed wildly, claws shredding the walls.
Must hurt like hell.
"Hey, if it hurts that bad, just off yourself. You're not getting out anyway."
"Heehee. Telling it to commit suicide? Harsh."
Ellicia giggled and loosed another arrow.
Thunk!
"Kee-eek!"
The arrow pierced its instep.
"...You're the harsh one."
"Oh? Am I?"
Screee—thunk!
"Kee-ee-eek!"
This one nailed the nape of its neck.
"Heeheehee, I'm pretty good, right?"
"...Yeah. Excellent archer."
Watching Ellicia play coy while slowly killing the shaman, I wondered if she was a psycho.
What if?
Maybe she'd been waiting for a chance to shove me into the pit.
Soloing it would double the exp and item drops.
Sketchy.
The world's full of all kinds.
Ellicia was a stranger I'd just met.
No guarantee she wasn't a backstabber.
Whoooosh—fwoom!
Lost in suspicion, a massive flame pillar erupted from the pit.
"Gah?!"
I leaped back, dodging the flames.
Fwoooosh!
"Kyaaaah!"
Ellicia, aiming right at it, took the full blast to her upper body.
"Kyaaaah! Hot! It burns!"
"Damn!"
She rolled on the ground, screaming in agony.
The flames charred her torso black before vanishing.
"Ah... Aaaah."
Shocked and spent, she slumped, moaning weakly.
Her upper body was beyond saving—not unless I was a high priest.
Like the dagger user, she'd soon dissolve into silver dust and get the death penalty.
Wait.
That wasn't the issue.
I didn't care if she died, but then I'd have to stone the shaman's remaining HP myself.
No telling how long that'd take.
"Lemme borrow that bow!"
I rushed to the fallen Ellicia and grabbed her bow.
No telling when she'd vanish, so better snag it now.
Gear vanishes with death.
"Wh-what?!"
"I'll give it back later!"
"Like hell, you bastard!"
"Aaaah, it hurts! Stop!"
On death's door, she somehow mustered strength to claw at my arm, refusing to let go.
"Ow, quit it!"
Rip.
Whack!
"Aaaack! You jerk!"
Using a joint lock I'd learned peeking over my sister's shoulder, I disarmed her arm and yanked the bow free.
"Oh! The quiver."
Slice!
I cut the strap with my butchering dagger, securing a heap of arrows.
Thud! Thud!
Ellicia flailed from the ground, punching my shoulder and side.
"You bastard!"
"Jeez, I'll return it next time we meet!"
"Shut up!"
With that final curse,
she dissolved into silver dust and scattered into the air.
"Phew."
Now with the bow, no more wasting time on stones.
The quiver looked small but held 130 arrows.
"Kkwi-uu."
Well done, master.
Kkwi-kku, who'd watched the struggle, gazed up at me with sparkling eyes.
It raised a front paw clumsily, sticking up one toe like a thumbs-up.
"Good job."
I returned the gesture, sharing a moment with Kkwi-kku.
Its presence suddenly felt monumental.
Without this cute rabbit, I never could've taken down the hobgoblin shaman.
My innate talent could yield incredible results if used right—I was convinced.
"Actually, this worked out great."
Her death leaving just the gear doubled my exp and drop chances. Best outcome for me.
I nocked an arrow, peeked into the pit.
"Kee-eek... Kee-ee-eek..."
Drained from the flame pillar, the shaman lay panting on the bottom.
"For the dagger user!"
Scree—thunk!
The arrow flew true to my aim.
First time with a bow, but it felt natural.
"Kee-eek..."
Too weak to screech, it barely reacted to the arrow in its knee.
"For the greatsword user!"
Thunk!
"For the tank!"
Thunk!
"For Ellicia!"
Thunk!
"Kee-eek..."
"Sorry for stealing your gear—another for Ellicia!"
Thunk!
"Krrgh..."
A gurgling rasp from its throat—HP critically low.
"Die already!"
Scree—
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
I unleashed a barrage, all vital hits on the weakened prey.
"Krrgh."
[✨ LEVEL UP! ✨]
[Lv 8 → Lv 10]
+ Pet Ability Awakened
With the hobgoblin's final croak came radiant level-up lights enveloping me.
Soloing a shaman that stumped a five-man party netted two levels.
Now at level 10. Solid progress.
"Status window."
[⚔ STATUS ⚔ ]
⚡ Strength: 20
💨 Agility: 15(+3)
✨ Magic Power: 5
💪 Stamina: 15
🍀 Luck: ?
🛡️ Endurance: ?
Stat Points: 10 Skills
▷ Focused Thrust Lv.2
I opened my status and dumped 5 points each into strength and stamina.
"Pet ability awakening, huh..."
I muttered, and Kkwi-kku puffed up proudly.
"Kkwi-ut."
Ahem.
Ask what it got, its pose demanded.
"Now, how do I retrieve that corpse."
That could wait.
Loot first.
"Can't do it barehanded."
Inspecting the walls, climbing down and up seemed impossible. No rope-like cloth either.
Going to town for one risked another player spotting the pit.
"Corpse might decay by then."
Needed to solve this here and now.
"Kkwi-ut!"
Ahem!
"...Hm?"
Ignoring me, Kkwi-kku struck the pose again, paw at hip—trust me vibe.
"You have a way?"
"Kkwi-uu. Kkwi-u-ut."
Dig the pit wider. Rabbits' specialty is burrowing.
"Of course!"
Thrilled by my reaction, Kkwi-kku eyed the ground seriously, then dug in with its paws.
Scrape scrape scrape scrape.
Its paws whirred like a motorized mini-drill.
A pile of dirt built behind it instantly; soon it vanished underground.
"Hmm?"
But the hole was rabbit-sized only. Natural for a rabbit burrow, but... how would I fit?
"Kkwi-kku, I can't get through there. Is this really gonna work?"
I called into the pit.
It ignored me, digging furiously.
About five minutes later, Kkwi-kku popped out of the wall near the fallen shaman.
"Kkwi-uk."
Nom!
It bit the glowing loot on the shaman. Magically, the shoulder guard and leggings peeled off, condensing into a light orb in its mouth.
"Whoa, awesome!"
The awakened ability: looting items and delivering them to its master.
Kkwi-kku climbed back through its tunnel and spat the orb at my feet.
It reformed into the shaman's shoulder guard and leggings.
Seemed minor, but perfect for unreachable loot or mass hunts.
If a rabbit's this good...
Rabbits were the first animal monsters players met.
Taming and growing stronger ones later would offer even more utility.
"Let's see."
I inspected the items eagerly.
[⚙ ITEM ⚙ ]
Singed Shoulder GuardGrade - 2 Tier (Magic)
Physical Defense: 25
Magic Defense: 30
Durability: 30/30
Equip Effect: Intelligence +5
[⚙ ITEM ⚙ ]
Hobgoblin Shaman's LeggingsGrade - 2 Tier (Rare)
Physical Defense: 40
Magic Defense: 35
Durability: 45/45
Equip Effect: Intelligence +7
Equip Effect: Stamina +5
"Uh..."
The options were... meh.
Great stats, but both boosted intelligence. Which raised magic attack power—and I had zero magic skills.
"Eh, can sell 'em later."
I equipped the shoulder guard and leggings anyway.
The skull-patterned leggings looked tacky, but wearing them made my lower body feel rock-solid.
Performance over fashion.
Gearing up, I gazed at Kkwi-kku.
"Kkwi?"
Its eyes brimmed with expectation—pet me.
"Kkwi-kku."
I cooed softly.
To complete the quest, I needed a piece of hobgoblin corpse. Only Kkwi-kku could go down and back up.
"One more trip. Did all this for the quest."
"Kkwi-uu?"
"Uh... go down, cut off its big toes. Both feet."
Fingers would work, but hobgoblin fingers resembled regular goblins'. Toes differed more distinctly. Safer bet.
"Kkwi-uu?"
I didn't hear that?
"...Please."
"Kkwi-uu?"
"..."
"Kkwi-uu?"
In the end, I bribed it with five washed carrots to get those hobgoblin toes.
Continue reading up to 80+ chapter on NovelsHub.org