21 21: Hunting with a Tactic
Holding the pot of blood, Val left the IronSpire stronghold and jogged towards his destination.
On reaching the outskirts of the forest, Val twisted open the pot.
The iron-rich scent of chicken's blood perfumed the air, an irresistible call to the forest's denizens.
No sooner had the smell permeated the surroundings than horned rabbits emerged from their burrows, their noses twitching, taking in the bloody scent that filled the air.
Their soft fur glistening in the early sunlight, the rabbits frolicked towards the source of the smell, completely unaware of the impending doom.
"There they are."
Val caught sight of them in the corner of his eyes and immediately let his unique Blood Manipulation Ability come to the fore. Controlled solely by his thoughts, burst forth from his body, solidifying in mid-air into gleaming scarlet blades.
The crimson swords shone brilliantly in the morning sun. The beautiful yet deadly spectacle cast an eerie shadow over the peaceful forest.
"The stage has been set. It is time for the theater to begin, time for me to stirke down my enemies!"
In a split second, Val, with the precision of a practiced assassin and the ruthless efficiency of a warlord, released the blood blades.
Whoosh!
The air whipped around as the swords hurtled through the tranquil atmosphere, their trajectory focused and their speed incredible. They were so swift that they seemed to distort the space around them, forming a crimson blur that was headed straight towards the unsuspecting rabbits.
Caught off guard, the rabbits could do nothing but freeze in their tracks. Their tiny hearts pounded in their chests as the blood blades zoomed towards them, each a harbinger of death.
The crimson swords, with unerring precision, plunged into the rabbits.
Standing on their hind legs, the poor creatures had no time to react as the blades sank into their chests, tearing through their backs with brutal force.
Puchi! Puchi! Puchi!
The once quiet morning was now filled with the grisly sound of flesh being punctured, and the air was thick with the metallic scent of blood. The vibrant green grass of the forest floor was splattered with sanguine droplets as life after life was extinguished.
And for each life taken, a chime echoed in Val's mind, bringing with it pleasant news.
[Ding! You've defeated a Level 5 Horned Rabbit. You get +3 EXP.]
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…
[Ding! You've defeated a Level 2 Horned Rabbit. You get +1.5 EXP.]
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…
[Ding! You've defeated a Level 3 Horned Rabbit. You get +2 EXP.]
As one life after another flickered out under his brutal assault, Val's experience points surged rapidly. However, his face bore no sign of emotion, save for a flicker of satisfaction, as the morning sun cast long shadows on his grim work.
His butchery was merciless and efficient. From his relentless onslaught, many horned rabbits had perished, contributing a total of 34 EXP points.
Coupled with the ten points left from farming the previous time, his EXP accumulated to 44!
Basically, he was 6 EXP short of reaching level 4!
