Hunting Trip Part-3

"Do you know the difference between magical beasts and monsters?" James asked, leaning into Peter's ear.

They were crouched under a bush in a clearing, watching a group of five horned rabbits.

Noelle and Paul stayed further back. Someone had to carry the pheasants, and they couldn't risk bringing them too close—these creatures had sharp noses.

Peter observed the nearest rabbit from afar.

It crouched low; its sturdy frame unmoving except for the slow twitch of its nose. Thick, powerful legs rested beneath its weight; their coiled strength hidden beneath dense fur. A single horn jutted forward, parting the grass as it nibbled, its ears flicking at the slightest shift in the wind.

"When normal animals evolve into new species that can assimilate and use mana, they become magical beasts. Monsters, on the other hand, are distinct from magical beasts in one key way—they possess sentience. The most common examples include goblins, orcs, ogres, and harpies," Peter whispered in response.

They had been searching for a single horned rabbit for Peter to hunt, but instead, they had stumbled upon a group.

David was quick to suggest that they could take them on together.

After some discussion, he and Peter agreed to face them as a team. Sasha and James would accompany them, standing by in case they needed help.

They wouldn't intervene unless Peter and David were at risk of serious injury—anything less would defeat the purpose of the exercise.

"Let me warn you—don't be fooled by their appearance. These creatures are highly aggressive, and their horns can seriously injure you if you're not careful," James said, holding Peter back.

Peter gave a serious nod in response. Each rabbit had a seven-inch horn protruding from its forehead. Combined with their ability to run at speeds of 60 km/h without effort, they were a genuine threat despite lacking any other magical abilities.

"Let him take the lead. You're primarily here to support him today," James instructed David. "Don't let him get surrounded. I'm counting on you to keep him safe until we close the gap."

"Always protect your vitals," Sasha added from the side.

They advanced cautiously, with David staying a step behind Peter, his axe in hand. The group was out in the open, making a surprise attack impossible.

The rabbits noticed them almost immediately, their bodies tensing as they turned to face the approaching figures. A normal rabbit would have bolted, but these were no ordinary creatures. Their aggression flared the moment they saw two small, two-legged beings approaching.

Without hesitation, they charged.

One of the rabbits came straight for Peter, while the others spread out, circling to attack from multiple angles. They were fast—alarmingly so—their powerful legs propelling them forward with ease. Some even leapt nearly a meter into the air, closing the distance in mere moments.

Peter's skills flared to life, mana reinforcing his body as Mana Sense granted him a complete view of the battlefield. His sword pulsed with power; its edge sharpened by the mana coursing through it.

He waited, poised, as the rabbits closed in.

"Cover my left," he called to David. Without hesitation, David moved into position, guarding Peter's flank. Peter couldn't defend from all sides alone—there was no shame in relying on his allies.

The first rabbit reached him in mere moments, launching itself forward in an attempt to skewer his chest.

Peter smiled, silently thanking it for making itself such an easy target.

A quick sidestep and two steps back took him out of its path, its horn missing him by inches. But he didn't let it land unscathed. His sword sliced through its side mid-leap, mana-infused steel cutting through flesh like a hot knife through butter.

A deep wound split its body from spine to stomach, leaving no chance for survival.

On Peter's side, David timed his axe swing perfectly, striking both beasts attacking from the left. The sharp edge of his battle axe buried itself in one's face, killing it instantly, while the shaft slammed into the other, sending it stumbling back from the sheer force of the blow.

Peter left him to deal with the remaining rabbit on his flank and turned his focus to the two approaching from the right.

They hesitated now. Losing two of their own so quickly had made them wary. This was his chance—to strike before they either fled or regrouped.

He had no movement skill, but even basic mana reinforcement made him faster than normal. Still, he couldn't match them in raw speed—only Sasha could rival their agility.

But speed meant nothing when hesitation kept them rooted in place.

Peter swung his sword at the nearest target the moment it entered his range, but it reacted quickly, leaping back to evade the strike. Before he could follow up, the other rabbit lunged at him, its horn aimed straight for his leg.

He couldn't dodge in time. The sharp tip pierced through his clothing, stabbing into his skin.

But it didn't sink far. His defensive skills kicked in immediately—Spirit of Fortitude dulled the pain with Pain Resistance and halted the bleeding with Bleeding Resistance, while Eternal Ward fought against the force, preventing the horn from driving any deeper.

Peter's health continued to drop, the embedded horn preventing Undying Vitality from closing the wound.

Gritting his teeth, he rotated his sword, angling the tip toward the ground directly above the rabbit. Then, with full force, he drove it downward.

The creature panicked, struggling to escape, but it couldn't dislodge its horn in time. It managed to shift slightly, causing Peter's strike to miss its brain—instead, the blade plunged into its belly.

Peter grunted as it let out a sharp squeal of pain. Gripping the hilt tightly, he twisted the blade and sliced outward, tearing open its midsection. Its internal organs spilled onto the ground.

The rabbit thrashed violently, its health draining rapidly. Though its body tried to heal, the damage was too severe. Within moments, it collapsed, dead before it could recover.

Peter sighed in relief as the wound on his leg finally closed, now that the horn was out.

During the whole ordeal, he had lost four health points, but Undying Vitality was already replenishing them.