Critter incursion

William stood at the heart of the farm's largest field, the scent of freshly tilled earth rising with the gentle breeze. Beads of sweat clung to his brow, a testament to the labor he had just completed with his Blessed wooden hoe. Now, with his task finished, he turned his attention to the magic seeping into the land beneath him.

Tendrils of green mana pulsed from his fingertips, slithering into the soil like ethereal roots, wrapping around each planted seed. The energy shimmered, vibrant and alive, merging with the earth in a way that felt almost symbiotic. He watched in awe as the soil darkened slightly, a sign of newfound richness, while the seeds pulsed with an inner light.

"How fascinating," William murmured, eyes wide with wonder. "I wonder what kind of changes this will bring to my crops!" His voice carried a mixture of excitement and curiosity, the possibilities dancing in his mind like fireflies on a summer night.

As the last wisps of mana settled into the field, he exhaled, stepping back to admire his work. Rows of potatoes and lettuce lay before him in neat rows, and a sense of pride welled up in William's chest, it was so much more satisfying to create something than to destroy, in his opinion, "To think I needed to be reincarnated to realize this!" he sighed as he whipped his brow of the sweat that formed.

William looked up from the field and saw his mom, Aria, sitting on the porch with worry as she clutched a piece of jewelry James once splurged for during one of their earlier days of dating, with worry clearly visible in her expression.

"Hey, Mom, are you okay? Do you need help with anything?" William asked, concern lacing his voice.

His mother only gave a solemn shake of her head before setting down the amulet and heading inside to finish her chores.

William exhaled heavily, watching her retreating figure. It's been months since Dad was conscripted… I hope he's okay.

Shaking off his worries, he turned back to his work. Gripping his hoe, he stepped toward the untilled field. TK, TK, TK, TK! The rhythmic sound of metal striking soil echoed around him. As he worked, he watched vibrant green tendrils of mana coil into the dirt, darkening it into rich, fertile soil, an almost hypnotic sight.

Then, a sudden chime shattered the quiet.

Ding! System quest issued – Malicious critters have taken notice of your farm and will arrive in 20 minutes!

Ding! Quest objectives – Survive the attack and/or kill twenty critters!

Ding! Quest reward will depend on which objective you complete.

William froze, his grip tightening around the hoe. His heart thudded against his ribs. Critters? What kind? His gaze flicked toward the edges of the farm, scanning for movement.

He had 20 minutes to prepare.

William sprinted toward his home, his heart pounding like a war drum against his ribs. He shoved the door open with enough force to make it rattle on its hinges, nearly stumbling inside. His mother, startled by his abrupt entrance, turned sharply from where she stood near the hearth. She opened her mouth to scold him for barging in so recklessly but faltered when she caught sight of his expression, and fear mingled with urgency.

"What's wrong, William?" she asked, stepping forward and grasping his wrist with firm concern.

William shook his head, forcing a reassuring smile as he pulled away. He reached for the axe propped by the door and hefted it with practiced ease. "Just some small critters near the farm," he said lightly, though his fingers clenched around the handle. "I'll scare them off. Don't worry, Mother!"

She hesitated, then nodded. With James away, it was William's responsibility to handle these things.

Stepping outside, he let the door shut behind him as he took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the horizon. The cool evening air brushed against his skin, but the tension knotting his shoulders refused to ease. With a silent command, he willed his Blessed Wooden Hoe to shift, the familiar weight in his grip transforming in an instant. The simple farming tool stretched and reshaped itself, twisting into a deadly kusarigama, a chain and sickle made of enchanted wood, as unyielding as forged steel and just as sharp.

With a flick of his wrist, he sent the chain whirling through the air. Swoosh! The sickle carved through the dusk in a deadly arc before he snapped it downward.

SKKK!

The blade bit deep into a nearby fence post, splintering the aged wood. It shuddered under the force of the strike, stopping only halfway through. William narrowed his eyes, gripping the weapon tighter. He pulled with all his might, and the fence post split completely in half as the sickle was pulled back into his grasp.

William secured his chain and sickle to his belt before hefting his axe, the familiar weight settling comfortably in his grip. With a practiced stance, he raised the weapon high, exhaled steadily, and brought it down in a clean arc. The sharp thwack of metal splitting wood echoed through the clearing as a log split cleanly in two, tumbling to either side. He repeated the motion, methodically reducing the pile of logs into manageable firewood, the scent of freshly cut timber filling the air.

Once finished, he set the axe aside and reached for his sickle. The curved blade sliced cleanly through lengths of wood as he worked to carve slender stakes, shaping each with care. He tested the sharpness of one against his thumb, satisfied, he drove it into the ground at an angle. One by one, he placed them in a staggered perimeter around the crops, ensuring the field had at least some form of passive defense. He had learned the hard way in his previous life that preparation often meant the difference between survival and failure.

Just as he stepped back to assess his work, a soft chime from the system caught his attention. His gaze flicked toward the quest timer.

00:01:00

William's muscles tensed as anticipation settled over him. One minute left. He adjusted his stance, his right hand coiling around the familiar weight of his chain. With a flick of his wrist, the steel links snapped taut, spinning into a steady circular motion at his side. The metallic hum of the rotating chain filled the air as he prepared himself for whatever was coming.

Then, the ground trembled.

At first, it was subtle, just a faint vibration beneath his boots, barely noticeable. Then, the disturbance grew, becoming a rhythmic pulsing, an unsettling cadence that thrummed through the earth.

"RUMBLE!"

A deep, rolling sound accompanied the tremors, a wave of movement rising from the direction opposite the town. Exactly as he had expected, he had reinforced that side with extra stakes, anticipating that any approaching threat would come from the less-traveled, open expanse beyond the fields.

William narrowed his eyes, scanning the horizon as a dust cloud billowed into view, expanding rapidly. Whatever was coming, it was fast. The pounding of countless small feet drumming against the dirt sent a shiver up his spine, and as the horde finally came into focus, he saw them.

His eyes widened.

"...Rabbits?"

Dozens, no, nearly fifty of them, charged forward in a coordinated stampede, their bodies low to the ground, powerful legs propelling them at alarming speed. Their ears flapped wildly in the wind, but that wasn't what unsettled him.

Each rabbit had a single curved horn protruding from its forehead, the sharp tip gleaming faintly even under the midday sun. Their tails were wide and flat, resembling an overgrown platypus's, patterned with streaks of white and brown fur. Their eyes, beady and dark, reflected an almost unnatural hunger as they locked onto their target.

William exhaled through his nose. Right. Sometimes, I forget this world isn't Earth.

These weren't normal rabbits. They were something else entirely, creatures molded by the strange laws of this world, bound by instincts unknown to him. If they were part of a system-generated quest, then there was no telling what kind of threat they truly posed. Underestimating them would be foolish.

Rolling his shoulders, he stepped forward, maintaining the smooth, controlled arc of his spinning chain. The metal links gleamed in the sunlight, a hypnotic blur of motion.

His mind raced, calculating. The sheer number of them was concerning, if they swarmed him all at once, things could get tricky. He needed to thin their numbers before they reached melee range.

His gaze flickered toward the ground. Scattered among the grass were small stones, their dull surfaces blending into the dirt. A plan formed in an instant.

Without hesitation, he crouched, scooping up a handful of rocks. Their rough texture pressed against his palm as he weighed them, testing their heft. His other hand instinctively gripped one, fingers curling around its jagged edges.

With a deep breath, he focused.

Green light pulsed from his fingertips, seeping into the stone as his mana flowed into it. The rock trembled slightly in his grasp, resonating with his energy.

William cocked his arm back, muscles coiling as he prepared to throw.

"ROCK THROW!"

He snapped his wrist forward, releasing the stone with a sharp flick. The green-glowing projectile cut through the air like a bullet, streaking toward the approaching horde.

The battle had begun with a rabbit's head being turned into red mush as the rock projectile pierced through its eye, causing the critter's head to explode due to the force of the impact.

[Critters killed 1/20]

"SKREE!" The high-pitched screech rang through the air as the small army of rabbits charged, their bodies moving in chaotic synchrony. Their red eyes, glowing like twin embers, locked onto William as they bared their jagged, yellow teeth. Horns twisted from their skulls like cruel weapons, and their tails, resembling those of a platypus, whipped through the air, matching the color of their fur, a twisted blend of white and brown. The scene was nightmarish, as if some eldritch force had warped the creatures of the forest into something far more dangerous.

The first of their number fell, its red eyes dimming, but the rest surged forward with a terrifying, hunger-driven frenzy. They weren't just attacking, they were seeking retribution. William could feel the bloodlust radiating off them as they snapped their jaws and kicked up dirt with their frenzied charge.

"FLCK, FLCK, FLCK, FLCK, FLCK!" William threw stones with pinpoint accuracy, each one slamming into the rabbits' skulls or bodies, causing a few to stumble or collapse, their red eyes dimming. Yet, despite the pain, the survivors pressed on with greater fervor. The wounded didn't slow their advance; they only seemed to grow more enraged, their red eyes alight with madness.

The air around him was thick with the scent of fur and blood. William could hear the screeches of the rabbits as they tumbled forward, their horns scraping against the ground as they came at him. Their monstrous eyes locked onto him, their bodies a blur of movement.

He had no more stones to throw, and there was no time to collect more. The rabbits were upon him, too close for comfort. His hand shot to his side, where his chain and sickle lay ready. With a powerful, practiced motion, William swung the chain in a wide arc, the weight at the end of it cutting through the air like a whip. The sickle, gleaming in the dim light, flashed through the first rabbit's face. The blade dug into its skull, splitting the bone and severing the creature's horn in a single, smooth motion. William yanked the blade free and drove it into the flank of another rabbit that was trying to leap at him. The sickle tore through its side, splitting it open with a sickening crunch.

"SHK!" The sickle pulled free, its bloodstained edge catching the light before he swung it back in another arc, severing the next rabbit's head from its shoulders in a clean, decisive blow. The headless body crumpled to the ground in a heap, twitching for a moment before stilling.

[Critters killed 3/20]

William's breath came in short gasps as the next wave of rabbits surged forward. The air was filled with the sound of their claws scraping against the ground, their bodies moving in a frenzy. He barely had time to react before one rabbit lunged at him from the side, its maw wide open, ready to clamp onto his neck. Instinctively, he ducked, narrowly avoiding the sharp teeth. His hand shot out, grabbing the chain, and with a savage twist of his wrist, he whipped it around in a complete circle.

The sickle sliced through the air like a blade of death, catching the next two rabbits in the chest and decapitating them in one smooth motion. Their heads flew into the air, their bodies falling lifeless to the ground in a heap of twitching limbs and fur. The chain snapped forward, wrapping around another rabbit's neck, yanking it off balance. Before it could react, William ripped it into the air, slamming it against the ground with bone-crushing force.

The remaining rabbits hesitated for a split second, but it was all the time William needed. He swung the sickle again, cutting another down before he spun, the chain smacking another rabbit aside and sending it skittering across the dirt.

[Critters killed 6/20]

A few rabbits, their bodies clearly injured but fueled by raw desperation, darted for him, their eyes wild with rage. William knew he had to retreat, and his only escape was the barrier of spears ahead. He pivoted on his heel and sprinted toward the wooden posts, the weight of his weapon in his hands a comforting presence. The rabbits gave chase, but they were too slow. Their claws scraped against the earth, but they couldn't match his speed.

He darted through the gap between the spears just as a pair of rabbits lunged, their sharp fangs aiming for his neck. But they weren't quick enough. One rabbit impaled itself on a spear as it tried to bite him, its body shuddering in agony. The other managed to bite down on his shoulder armor, but its teeth shattered upon impact, and it, too, ended up on the business end of the spears. The creatures struggled and screeched, their movements growing frantic as the spears pierced their bodies, but it was futile.

Not taking any chances, William spun around and swung his sickle in a wide arc. The blade cut through the air with a sharp whistle and decapitated both rabbits with a single, brutal swipe. Their bodies collapsed to the ground, their heads falling next to them with a dull thud.

[Critters killed 8/20]

He allowed himself a moment to catch his breath, his muscles burning from the exertion.