[You entered the Forest of the Dead, vision is reduced by 20%]
As Jan stepped beneath the forest canopy, the light dimd, filtered through the dense, towering trees overhead.
"That's a bit creepy..." he muttered, advancing cautiously as he pulled out the mission report to check the sketch of the Nightshade Bloomleaf.
The drawing showed a small plant with broad, dark leaves—almost black in the monochro sketch. The edges of the leaves were slightly jagged, fading into a faint gradient that lightened toward the tips.
At the center, a slender stem supported a star-shaped flower with tightly curled petals, shaded in dark tones to indicate its deep color. A lighter circle marked the flower's center, hinting at a more vibrant core that lay beneath.
Maria told him that the Nightshade Bloomleaf grew low to the ground in small clusters, and was often found in the shadowed, untouched corners of the forest.
"Which ans I'll need to head deeper into the darker parts of the forest to find it..." Jan ventured further into the eerie woods.
Crack—
Startled by the sudden sound, he jumped, heart racing—only to realize he’d stepped on a tree branch. With a deep breath, he tried to calm himself.
"This isn't good for my heart..."
Once he’d steadied his nerves, Jan delved deeper into the forest. Several minutes passed before a new window appeared in front of him.
[You have entered the deeper regions of the Forest of the Dead. Vision reduced by 30%.]
"These ssages are actually helpful for once. If it grows in dark spots, then the worse my vision gets, the closer I must be getting."
With that in mind, Jan pressed on, his steps cautious but determined. He scanned left and right, searching for the plant, but found nothing—not the herb he sought, nor any signs of life in the forest.
'Definitely earning the na, this Forest of the Dead…'
Jan stopped, trying to decide which direction to take next.
Suddenly, a faint sound ca from a nearby bush.
Rustle, rustle… Rustle, rustle…
It instantly reminded him of his first encounter with the green creatures that had once tornted him. Jan tensed and drew his sword, ready to strike at whatever erged.
As sothing darted out of the bush, he swung on instinct.
Whoosh!
But to his surprise, the creature easily dodged and landed a short distance away, its red eyes gleaming as it stared at him.
"A rabbit... and that's...?!"
It was indeed a dark rabbit, slightly larger than the ones he used to see in the zoo. But what caught his attention was what the rabbit held in its mouth.
"The Nightshade Bloomleaf!"
The mont Jan recognized the plant, the rabbit bolted deeper into the forest. It was a level 10 creature—stronger than anything he’d faced today—but that didn’t matter. Just over two hours had passed since he’d taken the mission, and he hadn’t found a single one until now.
Without hesitation, Jan sprinted after the rabbit.
'I need to get that herb before it gets away.'
He chased the surprisingly agile animal through tangled roots and uneven ground. Just as he thought he might catch up, the rabbit ca to an abrupt stop.
The path ahead was blocked by a massive tree, its roots hanging down like curtains, concealing the entrance to what appeared to be a cave.
"Don't you dare go in there!" Jan warned, his voice edged with frustration.
The rabbit looked around, as if to taunt him with a glance, before darting into the cave.
"You little...! Fine! You brought this on yourself. Now I’m definitely taking you back to the inn with !"
Frustrated, Jan plunged into the darkness after the rabbit.
[You have entered The Cave of the Shadowed Depths. Vision reduced by 50%.]
"Oh no… I can barely see," Jan muttered, his voice bouncing faintly off the stone walls. A chill seeped through the air, and the narrow passage seed to stretch on forever into the suffocating dark. The quiet scuff of his boots against the rocky ground was the only sound that followed him.
Jan pressed forward, each step cautious as shadows seed to shift at the edges of his limited vision. Just as he began to wonder if he had lost the rabbit, a dim crimson glimr appeared in the distance.
"There you are! Stop right there!" Jan shouted, breaking into a sprint.
The rabbit's red eyes sparkled with mischief before it bolted down the tunnel, leading him deeper into the cave. The air grew colder, the walls pressing closer as the passage narrowed. Jan’s breath was starting to co in quick gasps, his heart hamring in his chest as he chased the elusive creature until—
The tunnel abruptly widened, opening into a vast chamber. Jan skidded to a halt, his breath catching in his throat as a swarm of red eyes blinked open in the darkness.
[Shade Hoppers Lv.10] x 6
[Shade Hoppers Lv.14] x 6
[Shade Hoppers Lv.16] x 8
Jan’s pulse pounded in his ears as the rabbits’ eyes glowed like distant embers scattered across the chamber. Their small, barely lit forms shifted restlessly, the faint scrape of claws against stone echoing in the silence.
"So… there's more of you," Jan murmured, clutching his sword. Despite the odds, he forced a grin. "H-Heh… You think your numbers are going to scare ? I'm not leaving without that herb!"
Steeling himself, he scanned the chamber, squinting into the smothering darkness. The scattered glimrs of crimson eyes made it hard to make out shapes, but after a mont, he caught a subtle glow atop a small hill behind the pack of rabbits.
"The Nightshade Bloomleaf!"
The soft, pale light of the herb gently pierced the shadows. Its broad, dark leaves and star-shaped flower matched the sketch on the flyer, but the pack of rabbits stood between him and his prize.
'Maybe they'll let take a few and leave in peace…'
Jan took a cautious step forward, holding his sword low in a non-threatening stance.
The air shifted; the rabbits’ red eyes flashed brighter as they drew crimson daggers from the shadows. Their bodies tensed, ready to strike.
Growl!!!
Jan halted, heart hamring in his chest. "You think you can scare with that? Nothing can—"
Rumble—
A deep vibration shook the ground beneath his feet. Jan's words died in his throat as the small hill behind the rabbits began to shift. Dust and loose stones tumbled down its sides as sothing massive stirred beneath it.
'What the hell…?'
A towering silhouette rose from the shadows, three eyes blazing like molten coals against its pitch-black fur. The faint glow of herbs growing from its back cast eerie shadows across its scarred body.
"I—I take it back!!"
The beast let out a deafening roar, its voice rolling through the cavern like distant thunder. Before Jan could react, the hare's massive claw swung down with terrifying speed, tearing through the air like ripping fabric.
Jan dove to the side, adrenaline surging through his veins as the claw smashed down where he’d just been, sending shards of rock flying in all directions. Rolling to his feet, he glanced back at the crater left by the creature, heart pounding wildly as its three crimson eyes locked onto him with bloodlust.
'This is bad…'
[Eclipse Hare Lv.28]
The monster lood before Jan—an enormous rabbit with three eyes that burned with a fierce crimson glow. Its midnight-black fur seed to swallow the faint light in the cavern, blending seamlessly with the surrounding shadows. Deep scars raked across its muscular body, a testant to countless battles. Its short, thick ears made it resemble a bear more than a rabbit, but the sharp, pointed incisors left no doubt—it was indeed a hare, albeit a monstrous one.
What captured Jan’s attention, however, was the soft, eerie glow emanating from its back. The patch of Nightshade Bloomleaf sprouted between its shoulder blades, its pale light stark against the beast’s dark fur. The shimr made the creature all the more unsettling, revealing jagged scars and the gleam of its crimson eyes.
His eyes flicked once again to the creature's level:
[Lv.28]
His pulse quickened as he glanced back toward the tunnel behind him.
'I'm level 17 now, but that's still nearly a 10-level gap between us… Should I retreat and search for the herbs elsewhere?'
Maria hadn't ntioned anything about the Nightshade Bloomleaf growing on the back of such a creature. Since he'd seen the smaller rabbit carrying one earlier, there had to be more outside the cave—sowhere safer.
[Ti Remaining: 1 Hour.]
'Ti’s running out,' Jan thought, clenching his fist. 'If I can just grab the herbs from its back, I’ll have more than enough to finish the mission.'
But the problem wasn't just the Eclipse Hare—it was the pack of Shade Hoppers surrounding it.
'To reach the beast, I'd have to get past them first… But I already seen a glimpse of their speed while chasing the other rabbit. I can't outrun them…'
Jan’s mind raced as he weighed his options—his mont of hesitation proved costly. One of the Shade Hoppers seized the chance, darting forward with blinding speed. Its crimson dagger flashed as it struck his side.
Jan barely registered the movent before a sharp sting of pain lanced through him.
"Augh… ouch?!"
[-2]
Jan blinked, more surprised than hurt.
"…That's it? That's so weak! Even weaker than the wolves!"
Relief and confidence surged through him. Yes, the rabbits were fast, and yes, they were elusive—but their attacks were laughably weak. It was clear now why it didn’t attack him right away, it lured him into the cave first. They attacked in packs—they relied on numbers rather than strength.
"I can do this!" Jan declared, gripping his sword tighter.
His plan was simple: eliminate the smaller rabbits first, then face the big one.
But things didn't go as smoothly as he'd hoped.
Huff… Huff…
"Damn it, stop running!" Jan shouted as the Shade Hoppers darted around the chamber, their quick, unpredictable movents making them infuriatingly hard to hit. Every ti he lunged at one, they scattered in all directions, only to regroup monts later. With each miss, red eyes glead with mischievous cunning, as if daring him to try and catch them.
Every now and then, one of them would sneak in a swift stab with its crimson dagger, but the damage was negligible—at most, a re three points. Still, the relentless chase was wearing him down, his breaths coming quicker with each failed attempt.
As Jan paused to catch his breath, sudden darkness engulfed him. His instincts scread, and he leapt back just as a massive shadow lood overhead.
Boom—Rumble—
The Eclipse Hare's colossal claw smashed into the ground where Jan had stood, shaking the entire cave. Loose rocks tumbled from the ceiling as cracks spread across the stone floor. The impact sent several Shade Hoppers tumbling to the ground, their movents thrown off balance.
Despite the near hit, Jan found himself smirking.
"So… you’re weak but fast. You know you can't kill , so you're trying to wear down," He said, eyes flicking from the smaller rabbits. "And you’re strong but slow. You can't catch , so you’re relying on the small ones." His gaze locked onto the towering beast. "Yeah… I think I can work with that."
Without hesitation, Jan charged forward, feinting an attack on the Shade Hoppers. As expected, they scattered in every direction, their quick reflexes taking them out of reach in an instant. But Jan had never intended to hit them—his true target was the Eclipse Hare, standing immovable like a fortress of flesh.
Realizing his intent, the Shade Hoppers rushed after him, crimson daggers flashing as they tried to intercept him. But Jan didn't care—the beast's legs were now within range, and he swung his sword with all his strength.
Whoosh!!!
[-15]
"AUUUGHHHH!!!!"
The Eclipse Hare roared, its agony rumbling through the chamber. Its massive body trembled from the pain, and its three crimson eyes blazed with fury. In that instant, every remaining Shade Hopper caught up to Jan, surrounding him from every direction.
Jan's back hit the rough stone wall as he found himself cornered. The Shade Hoppers crouched low, ready to pounce, while the Eclipse Hare's massive fist drew back, preparing to crush him beneath its weight.
"Please work… please work!" Jan whispered, heart pounding wildly in his chest. As the swarm of rabbits surged toward him and the beast's colossal fist began its deadly descent, Jan thrust his hand into the ground.
[Heaven-Splitting Cleave]
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