Chapter 155
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Crow's Dance
A cute little white rabbit actually packing insane power is a trope that pops up surprisingly often in fiction.
【Murderer Rabbit LV99】
A spirit taking the form of a rabbit, a variant of Al Miraz.
Its abilities have been amplified by the power of the Rabbit Hole, and it is known as the ultimate spear and shield defending the burrow.
But come on, this was taking it way too far.
Level 99, no less.
What was the highest level I'd seen so far?
50? 60?
This was leagues beyond that.
A true max-level rabbit, worthy of the name. A powerhouse.
Of course, I knew it wasn't some ordinary creature.
Just like those tiny white and black rabbits, this had to be one of White Rabbit's artificial creations.
I had no idea if it was packed with intricate machinery or actually alive with some spark of life.
I'd thought White Rabbit, its creator, could wipe out the Lion Heart King or the Night Witch without breaking a sweat, but apparently not.
My guess? This rabbit's freakish strength came from tapping into the Rabbit Hole itself.
White Rabbit, master of the burrow.
The Murderer Rabbit, her familiar.
So it made sense that it could wield level 99 power—but only within this space.
That didn't change the fact that I had to face a level 99 enemy, spatial limits or not.
"Oh, and I recommend using only the abilities you've gained from this training session."
"Caw!"
It's tough enough already—now you're telling me to fight with sandbags on?
"This little one will adjust to you, guest. When you use an ability, so will it."
No wonder I'd been itching to move.
Fine. Let's do this pure melee, then.
It's not life-or-death; it's just sparring.
But this should be okay, right?
"Cock-a-doodle-doooo!"
Now I'd perfectly mimicked a rooster's crow.
To face a monster like that, I'd need to belt out Command Roar first thing.
"We'll skip physical enhancements. They just narrow the gap."
Good. Time to get serious.
I had a ton of abilities, but surprisingly, I enjoyed close-quarters combat.
I had a decent body for it—might as well make use of it.
But I had a chronic weakness.
As a bird, raw power just wasn't my strong suit.
Birds sacrifice mass for flight, after all.
I was bigger than Cherry or Kiki now, but I probably weighed less than half of what they did.
Lightweight for my size meant even with plenty of muscle, my strength had limits.
And my techniques? Not exactly varied.
Chicken kicks were about it, with a skull-cracking beak strike as my finisher.
Objectively, my melee skills were pathetic.
Yet I'd beaten enemies by leveraging my traits.
Yeah, traits.
The stuff I'd stolen so far, the things I kept relying on.
I'd survived this long thanks to the status window and my abilities.
Using Crow's Eye to analyze enemy skills and traits, comparing them to my hand, plotting strategies. Swapping traits on the fly to create variables, nullifying theirs or stealing them outright to weaken foes.
That's how I'd beaten stronger opponents.
But what about now?
No traits.
No items.
No exploiting weaknesses.
Pure melee.
A clash of speed, power, and toughness.
Could I win?
Nearly impossible.
"Caaaaw!"
Even so, I charged at it.
I had my reasons for taking it down.
"I mean, come on, isn't that overkill, nyang?"
Cheshire, watching the spar, threw a fit.
She knew how strong that tiny white rabbit really was.
In this space, it had no equal in close combat.
"Close range isn't that crow's specialty, nyang. Birds have their limits—why force it, nyang?"
"He has to."
White Rabbit brushed off Cheshire's words.
She knew Raven couldn't match her familiar as he was.
With everything he had, maybe—but pure melee? He wouldn't even scratch it.
"Guest. That's why—that crow is strong, no doubt. He took down Lu Karkol solo, after all."
White Rabbit didn't know Raven's full arsenal.
Just that he had tons of traits and could manipulate night time.
"But that power? It's... foreign. The source probably isn't his own."
Still, she could roughly guess where it came from.
Definitely not innate to the crow.
"Sure, tons of beings borrow power. Holy knights with their god's might, transcendents drawing from their origins. Origin aside, it's no big deal."
Cheshire said nothing, just watched the crow and rabbit clash.
He was getting crushed.
Defense only, scratches piling up.
With abilities, sure—but melee? No chance.
A clear loss.
Cheshire clenched her fists watching.
"But that crow's goal is different. He's reaching for what we can't, right? That's why you're helping."
White Rabbit adjusted her monocle.
"Exactly. He can't stagnate here. Fail to overcome his limits... and he'll end up on our path."
"...Nyaang."
Cheshire got it.
Alice.
Their comrade, the hero who'd stalled Dorothy alone.
Dorothy hadn't gone all-out because Alice had bought time with her life.
But even a hero like Alice could only buy time.
Raven needed to get stronger.
And Raven thought the same.
That's why he kept charging, no retreat.
"Caw..."
His body was wrecked.
No killing blows, but the rabbit was too strong.
Its small frame had grown bigger than his, dominating in power and speed.
And unlike his basic kicks, it wielded trained martial arts. No way to win.
Powerlessness sank in.
Insanely strong.
With traits and feathers, he could win.
But he didn't want that.
Deep down, he'd realized his power was alien.
Its origins were a mystery, same as why he was in this world.
Survival first—no time to dwell. But post-evolution? He had to think.
Night Crow.
Snow White's Witch.
Two transcendent rivals for his next evolution.
They could interfere.
If they wanted, steal his power?
Worst case, but possible.
Status window and quests never betrayed him, but forever? No.
Easy come, easy go.
He'd come far with cheat-like powers, no denying it.
Source: status window, not his. Traits stolen from others.
Steal from them? Prepare to lose to them.
That's why he kept fighting.
"Urgh..."
Blood dripped from his beak.
Bones shattered? Body limp.
Not life-or-death. Lose or forfeit—no issue.
Yet he pressed on.
Behind the playful caws, this anxiety always lurked.
Even shattered, he wanted it gone.
He cleared his mind.
Shook off nagging doubts.
Focus solely on the foe.
Krunch.
The rabbit tensed its hind legs, watching.
Thunder-like speed.
The move that wrecked him without reaction.
No dodging with his raw power.
No Blink, no Shadow Form.
No.
He chose not to.
He wanted pure self to overcome.
Rumblecrash!
Thunder roared as the strike flew.
Raven extended one wing.
Fluid as running water.
Shifting like a breeze.
Light, precise evasion of the blow. Then, stepping into the short foreleg's swing.
Short limb, unimaginable destruction.
Spar or not, one hit could kill.
Still, the crow advanced.
Seamless, flowing motion.
Yes—a dance, clear as day.
Perfectly evading, he raised a foot to pin the rabbit's.
Motion brief.
Weight heavy.
Like an acorn falling from an oak.
No acorn helmet now, but one lived in his memory.
Crow's Dance, Form 1
Acorn
Crack!
His ridiculously tough skull finally landed the first hit.
"Krra..."
The rabbit staggered briefly, then prepped a counter.
Absurd flexibility—from the blow's pose, a kick lashed out.
Whish!
But it missed Raven.
His assault wasn't done.
Headbutt simultaneous, wings forward like scythes.
Sweeping down like twin reapers.
Boom!
Mirroring the moves that threatened his life and treasures.
Crow's Dance, Form 2
Mantis
Kaboom.
No transcendent intervention. No status-window gifts.
His own power alone.
A technique uniquely his, unlogged in any system.
One he'd awakened.