Rise of the Devourer

Book 2: Chapter 44 — Hunter and Prey

Bun Bun tore through the corpse of a giant serpent, feasting upon his prey as he drank in its lifeblood. He had been growing stronger, having found many prey to sustain his everlasting hunt and hunger. The life-mother had ordered him to bring corpses to fuel the strange exercise, and Bun Bun had been more than happy to oblige.

Lightning crackled across Bun Bun’s horns as his sharp teeth and claws bit through the thick leathery body of the creature with ease, tearing it apart. Bun Bun’s body had grown as well, he knew this. He was nearly twice the size that he once had been as a simple rabbit, his white fur now a light shade of pink, and his red horns crackling with lightning. There was an agitation that Bun Bun felt inside of himself, one that he understood to be an itch to grow.

This form was starting to feel limiting, his legs, and body too weak for the strength he used. He needed to grow, and he was so close. Thumping his legs onto the ground, he kicked up onto the corpse of the snake, taking a look around the perimeter. Bun Bun’s eyes swirled around the area, trying to see if any other prey remained. With his hunts, Bun Bun had found most monsters quickly flee the area. Those that didn’t, had fallen to him. Now, the forest felt quiet, even the insects did not chirp when he moved through here, and Bun Bun felt a strange sense of emptiness.

Surely there had to be more? Was there nothing beside the life-mother that could beat him here?

Bun Bun did not believe this. Having once been prey, he had seen predators from afar, creatures so grand, even the life-mother would not be capable of beating them. He’d just met one too, after-all.

The memory brought a shudder to Bun Bun. The dragon’s aura had been… unending, vaster than anything Bun Bun had ever experienced. It was a dragon too, just like Bun Bun, but older, stronger, and much more powerful. It had reminded Bun Bun of the time he had been prey. And it had taught him that he still was. That so long as there was a predator above him, he was still the same rabbit that he had always been.

The fear had sparked something, a desire to change. What was the point of it all, if he was still a prey? No, he could not allow that. He needed to grow, stronger than everything he knew, strong enough that nothing could threaten it anymore.

Yes, yes that is what he desired. And for that, he needed to hunt.

Bun Bun swept his eyes around, peering through the forest. Acidic water ran through the grounds, forming a delta of acid that filled the air with a yellow haze, impairing the rabbit’s vision. Bun Bun could smell the blood in the air, not just from his own prey, but from the many hunts that had taken place here.

This place was a hunting ground, and Bun Bun intended to use that. Leaving the giant serpent’s corpse half eaten, Bun Bun jumped off the creature, kicking off air as he moved into the bushes nearby. Finding himself a place high above on one of the branches nearby, he sat down in silence.

The wait had begun.

Rivers of acid trickled down near the serpent’s corpse. The outer skin was thick and resistant, but any acid that touched the insides burned the flesh with a piercing hiss as it released more smoke into the air, blurring vision. Bun Bun kept his eyes and ears peeled, waiting.

He did not have to wait for too long. Something moved nearby, and Bun Bun sank low, flattening himself onto the tree branches as he peered from between the leaves. A creature came closer, glancing around carefully as it began to inspect the corpse.

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Looking through the haze, Bun Bun saw the creature and found his disappointment rising. A fox nibbled at the corpse of the serpent, eating small bites from the flesh before it would jump back to look around itself.

That was not enough, not nearly enough. That creature would not be able to help him. Bun Bun was about to rush to the serpent to chase off the fox, when a shadow stirred from the river.

Water splashed, acid raining all over the earth as a giant maw clamped around the fox. A giant leathery monster with a spiked back rose from the river, keeping the fox clamped down in its maw as its sharp teeth tore through the creature within seconds. Bun Bun turned still, simply watching the creature swallow the fox in a single gulp before its eyes turned towards the serpent.

Bun Bun knew this creature. A Deidacroc. He had fought one before with the life-mother, a smaller, younger one, yet the battle had still been difficult. And this one was nearly twice as large.

A strange thrill began to rise in Bun Bun as it watched the deidacroc decimate the serpent’s corpse. That would do. This creature would be enough.

Watching in silence, Bun Bun waited till the deidacroc had eaten nearly the entire corpse. After its meal had been completed, the giant monster slunk around the river delta, moving across the watery grounds before it lay on the banks, basking in the heat of the sun. The creature’s eyes slowly began to dip down, the lethargy of a good meal taking the deidacroc in its throes as it began to sink into sleep.

Bun Bun leapt with rapid speed. Shooting like a bolt of red lightning, Bun Bun struck near the monster’s head, his horns charged with mana piercing the deidacroc’s leathery skin. The monster leapt up, thrashing as the sudden attack struck, yet Bun Bun knew it had not been decisive.

Jumping back, the rabbit let out a powerful roar, shaking the ground around it, as the Deidacroc turned, and its red eyes, now burning with anger, found Bun Bun. The Deidacroc moved its massive body at rapid speeds, maw open wide as it charged Bun Bun.

The rabbit leapt, shooting fire at the creature as he swiftly dodged the attacks. Flames ignited the gases rising from the rivers of acid, as green flames filled the air, covering the entire river delta. Fire spread rapidly, soaking the world as Bun Bun danced within the fiery death arena.

Mana gathered around the Deidacroc’s body, its giant spines vibrating as lightning formed around them. Bun Bun matched the lightning with his own, red sparks crackling across his horns. Red and blue lightning struck against each other, a rapid blast shaking the area. Bun Bun found his magic overwhelmed and dodged the strike, feeling the effects of the foreign lightning. The deidacroc took the change, rushing in with its maw open ready to chomp down onto Bun Bun and end him in a single go.

Bun Bun jumped to the skies, raining down flames from above as the heat of the area rose to a rapid high, with the acid rapidly burning away into the air. The deidacroc roared, as lightning bolts flew into the sky, striking at Bun Bun, but the rabbit was much faster. Bun Bun dodged the strikes, moving deftly around, but he knew he needed something better. A battle of attrition was not something he would win, yet the monster’s leathery skin was far too thick to pierce.

Jumping around the skies, Bun Bun looked down at the giant monster, before remembering something it had seen. The serpent’s corpse had been protected from the outside, but on the inside, the acid had worked.

There was danger, and Bun Bun’s instincts were against doing something that dangerous. To enter a predator’s mouth was death, this much he knew. Bun Bun continued to swirl in the skies, shooting fire and lightning from above, as the deidacroc sat below, maw snapping at air, and spines shooting bolts of lightning. They both knew that Bun Bun would tire out first.

There was no choice.

Slowly, gradually, Bun Bun began to descend. In a manner that looked as if his mana was running low, body unable to sustain flight. The deidacroc continued to fight, but the monster slowly started to grow more lax, its confidence taking over. It thought it had won.

Eventually, Bun Bun let himself fall from the skies, pulling his aura back inwards. The deidacroc leapt, catching Bun Bun in its maw as the giant teeth sunk into Bun Bun, as the creature’s mouth began to close in on him, threatening to crush him to death.

Bun Bun had no time, bones breaking and body torn from injuries as the monster tried its best to eat him, Bun Bun let flames gather in his mouth. Pulling a powerful breath in, the little rabbit let loose with everything he had.

Fire and lightning erupted on the insided of the deidacroc as the beast thrashed in agony. Bun Bun dug into the beast’s inside, teeth and claw tearing flesh apart as fire and lightning continued to bear down. Bun Bun’s horns struck the upper jaw of the deidacroc, piercing bone and skin through as it broke out from the inside.

Teeth sank into the deidacroc’s mouth, tongue being ripped apart as fire burned the insides of the creature and lightning kept it paralyzed.

The deidacroc thrashed and roared, twisting and turning. Acid flowed into the creature’s mouth as it sunk underwater in a desperate attempt to survive, and Bun Bun found his body burning from the acid.

But he was not going to stop now. Flames erupted once more, burning the acidic water on the inside out. Bun Bun’s horns tore gouges through the beast’s mouth once again as the deidacroc twisted and turned, blood flowing from its inside freely, and sizzling into the aciding water till nothing remained.

An eternally long minute passed as the creature thrashed in water, and Bun Bun found himself near the end of its energy. With a final blast of fire, the rabbit escaped the deidacroc’s mouth escaping onto land.

Shaking off the blood and acid, Bun Bun sat down on the ground, taking a few moments to recover. Injuries covered his body, blood soaking his fur, but he was alive.

Bun Bun’s eyes moved sideways as he saw the giant deidacroc crashed onto the shores of the acid river, its red eyes now glazed. Moving over to the giant creature, Bun Bun looked in both awe and surprise at the monster still clinging onto life. With the last of its strength, the deidacroc snapped at Bun Bun.

A strange respect filled Bun Bun’s mind, as he saw the giant monster refuse to die despite its injuries. This was a true predator. And he had taken it down.

With a final pull of Mana, Bun Bun crackled with lightning and struck the giant deidacroc.

The creature was blasted back, its body falling into the river, as Bun Bun saw the words of the world fill his mind.

You’ve killed an [Adult Deidacroc - lvl 183 (Epic)]!

Draconian Jackalope has reached level 100!

Evolution point reached. You can evolve now.

Evolution selection given to owner of the Familiar bond.

Bun Bun looked at the words, thumping his legs in victory. A moment later, he sensed the life-mother’s presence, as the world fluctuated around Bun Bun.

Silently, Bun Bun looked up at the life mother, pride filling him as he jumped into the inviting arms.

***

Noah picked up Bun Bun, finding a strange notification appear in front of him.

Your familiar is ready to evolve.

Would you like to evolve Bun Bun?

Yes/No?

Looking at the notification, Noah glanced around. Little swathes of fire burned around the river, alongside other marks of destruction covering the area. He could guess what might have happened here.

“Just what will I do with you, you hungry murder monster,” Noah said, petting Bun Bun on his fluffy head, as he gave him some of his lifeblood to drink. A smile covered his face nonetheless. “Guess we’ll see what kind of murder monster you evolve into huh?”

Turning around, he began to walk back to the Dragon. He’d like its advice, with what Bun Bun’s evolution may have to offer.

The rabbit slept quietly in his arms as they made their way back.