Juda's element, Healing Fire, can clear out toxins and impurities with a touch. Good.
Eve's element can quicken her movements, and propel her speed. Also good.
Killian stared at his feet. If he used Shadow Writhe, its tendrils could cause a stir. He shouldn't risk it.
He hadn't been with his team long enough to be fully trusted, so using a forbidden element around them was out of the question.
"Of course, this only sends me back to my initial plan."
Using his physical prowess to battle the rabbits. He unclipped his bat, and held it in front of him.
Evelyn's mechanical gear was already fixed on her arms. The tips of Juda's fingers were lit with green wild fire that never burned his skin.
They stood in a grassy area with the sun high up.
The wind passed them by, sighing as they stood another minute with no sign of a rabbit.
Evelyn turned to Juda. "Who told us to come here again? Did you also tip the guests that we were arriving?"
They let the boy direct them to where rabbits kept their young ones, according to what he overheard his teammates say but it was an empty area.
Unless…
Killian touched the ground. "Evelyn. Blast air into the ground. Something might jump out."
She faced him with a raised brow, then slowly walked to a clearing. She stared at her gear, feeling conflicted.
While she could blast out wind from it, she couldn't control the output so might literally blast the ground and kill whatever was supposed to jump out.
"It's fine, Evelyn. If you kill them, that's what we are here for anyway." He raised the bat to his shoulder. "If their parents return, that will make things more lively."
Juda nodded in agreement, without realising Killian's suggestion didn't have him in mind.
If all the rabbits were killed by Evelyn's blast, she passes the training with him. Juda came for nothing.
Evelyn exhaled, placing her palm to the ground. Her gear whirred softly, reacting to mana flowing from her HEART. "Just in case, you two move a bit."
Killian stepped back, pulling Juda who had stepped forward instead. "Keep your eyes on the ground—"
BOOM!
The ground rose to the air. Killian jumped back instantly, leaving Juda behind.
Crack! Crack!
The ground cracked around Evelyn and the grass whooshed aggressively as if things moved inside it.
"Whoa!" Juda fell in a crack but rolled out before it deepened. He created distance between himself and Evelyn. "Do you want to kill me—"
"Evelyn, take it easy. You could sink too." Killian warned.
She remained rooted to the spot. Her neck turned to him. Her eyes were widened and panicked. "I-I am not doing this… something else is… here."
Shit.
Multiple figures shot out of the grass.
It rained rabbits.
Killian's eyes darted about, counting, but they kept rushing out in pairs and triples.
Juda's fire extended from his fingers to his arm.
The figures were small rabbits, two-foot tall, pointy fluffy ears, and standing on their hind legs. They held daggers made from bones in their small hands.
Their eyes were slanted, narrowing at Juda and Killian. They all had their backs turned to Evelyn except one, who guarded beside her.
There were at least a hundred.
How could so many be in one place? Other trainees might not find any monsters to kill.
That must mean we're controlling this realm. That made sense. Rabbits reproduce fast.
The children were the best ones to take out, but that meant the adults would defend quickly.
Evelyn grunted, pulling her arm from the ground. It had buried two inches up her arm. "Be careful… they decapitated my gear. I can't move from here."
"Hold on. They use the Earth element." He said the last part to the Juda who nodded.
They were at a standstill. Rabbits standing on their hind legs, holding bones. And the two trainees.
No one moved, and some rabbits barely moved an inch, their eyes fixed on their predators.
Killian slowly went down to pick a stone. The rabbit closest to him squinted its eyes at his movement.
He flung it at the one opposite, but it easily tilted its neck to dodge.
They have fast reflexes. How is this E-Rank?
How are these small and cute creatures monsters? He expected an appearance more… horrifying.
Anyway…
He swung at the closest one, lopping their head off their shoulders.
Thump! Thump!
Light footsteps rushed to him with their weapons outstretched. Killian's hold tightened on the bat as he twisted his body, barely avoiding a rabbit's strike.
They are fast.
He banged his head on the rabbit and it dropped. His leg crashed on the body, wounding it fatally.
Another charged low. He lifted his leg instinctively.
Thud!
Its teeth slammed into his skin, not quite breaking skin. He sucked his teeth and brought the bat down.
Crunch!
The creature dropped, twitching.
More came.
Crack!
Crunch!
Slam!
They didn't rush blindly, circling around him. Small, quick steps. Their hind legs pushed off the ground in short bursts, closing the distance.
Sometimes, they retreated.
They are smart too.
Killian exhaled sharply. "This is getting annoying."
One lunged for his side. He turned, swinging wide. Missed.
A second one used the opening, leaping straight for his neck.
"Shit."
He ducked just in time feeling the rush of air as it passed. He grabbed it ears mid-air with his teeth and threw it down.
Before he could finish it off, a sharp kick hit his ribs making him stagger back.
Finally, they are fighting like rabbits.
Another bite came from behind. He twisted and the teeth sank into his sleeve, tearing his jacket's sleeve. Killian yanked his arm free and smashed the bat sideways.
Crack!
The rabbit flew, rolling across the ground.
Killian's breathing grew heavier. This wasn't overwhelming power. It was pressure.
"Killian!" Juda's voice cut through.
Killian glanced, wondering how he had been holding up.
Juda had one by the head, his palm pressed firmly against it. "Move!"
For a second, nothing happened.
BOOM!
The rabbit burst apart in a violent explosion of flesh and bone. The shockwave hit both of them.
Killian stumbled back. "What the heck?!" Healing Fire... can do that?
Juda fell to the ground, coughing, his hand shaking again.
"Be careful, idiot!" Killian snapped, regaining his footing. "You will drain out of mana quickly if you-"
Another rabbit rushed him mid-sentence. He swung.
Slam! It dropped.
They were getting desperate. Their formation was broken as a few retreated, dragging injured bodies with them.
Their eyes weren't hostile anymore. They were shaken, and afraid.
Killian paused for half a second, chest rising and falling.
They're scared? I mean they should be. But… that's not monstrosity.
A few took small steps back, their tiny bodies trembling, bones still clutched.
Their eyes looked broken as they were cornered.
For a moment, no one moved again.
A sharp movement.
The one on guard suddenly turned, but not toward him. Killian's eyes widened slightly.
Evelyn. She was still stuck to the ground.
The rabbit sprinted, faster than before, desperation in every step.
Killian clicked his tongue, already moving. He ran forward, gripping the bat even tighter.
If it reaches her first…
The rabbit leaped in the air.
Evelyn's eyes followed it. And then—