Chapter 220: The “aggressively large pebble”
It had been two days since the beast horde attack, which had escalated into a war. Tunik had been made to apologize to Sel and Exildra and sent the egg back. He came clean and told them that it was handed to him by another person, so his punishment was lessened a bit, but it was almost non-existent.
Those who’d died in the battle were given befitting burials. The battlefield was cleaned up, and Senkeht got an abundance of food from the dead beasts, mostly from what the warriors had killed. The beasts that died under Bahamut and Gabi’s hands were inedible. Gabi’s poison was so potent that the beasts he’d killed had dissolved into liquid, even their bones. Bahamut’s kills, on the other hand, were destroyed beyond comprehension. Even with the holds he kept on himself, he still killed the beasts brutally.
Currently, Senkeht was undergoing renovations. Men, women, and kids moved about. The men used their earth elements to make strong bricks to build the wall, while the women supplied them with food and water to help replenish them. The children also moved around, helping in any little way they could.
Close to the chief’s residence, a group of kids was gathered around someone, Ren. After his recent evolution, Ren had pushed to Tier 2, Circle of Element. With that, he discovered a lot of things. His current appearance as the humanoid bunny was his main appearance, but he could still transform into his six-foot-tall bunny form, or even the first form as a cute, small bunny.
Ren was currently in his six-foot-tall bunny form. He lay on the ground with the kids lying on him and playing with his fur.
"SOOO SOFT~."
A small girl commented with a drowsy expression, and in no time, she’d fallen asleep. To the side, Bahamut and Sel watched the bunny and the kids with mischievous smiles.
"To think this guy could be this welcoming..."Bahamut spoke loud enough for Ren to hear him. Ren turned his head towards them and threw a piercing gaze at Bahamut, but he acted as if he couldn’t feel it.
"Bunnies are attracted to kids. That’s probably why," Sel added with a thoughtful expression, making Ren’s face turn red from embarrassment. Sel was right on point.
"How I wish I were a kid. I would also get to play big bunny Ren," Bahamut said with a sad face and a sad voice.
"But have you realized?" Sel suddenly said with an expression that said, "I discovered something!", making Ren feel a shiver down his spine. Whatever was coming wasn’t good in any way.
"What?"
"Ren’s current appearance is like the Easter Bunny. That character humans portray as the cheerful, fluffy white rabbit who delivers colorful eggs and candy each spring, usually shown with a pink nose, long floppy ears, and a little cotton tail."
"Motherfucker!" Ren cursed loudly, causing the kids to halt what they were doing and look at him in shock.
"It can talk!" A boy with blue eyes shouted in shock.
"SO COOOOOOOOOOOL!" Another added with wide green eyes, but Bahamut and Sel were saying otherwise.
"I just realized! I heard that guy walked with the tooth fairy to steal teeth," Bahamut added with shock on his face. "Don’t tell me he is the same person."
"He could be... From the way he speaks, and even his element. He could be an incarnation-"
"Get the fuck out of here!" Bahamut and Sel flashed out of where they stood, dodging a huge rock. Ren had ripped a huge chunk of the ground, transformed it into a rock, and thrown it at them, and that wasn’t the end of it.
While Bahamut and Sel were dodging rocks for their lives, the kids stood behind Ren, who’d transformed into his humanoid form and cheered him on.
"Hit them harder!"
"Throw the big one!"
"Again! Again!"
The children of Senkeht screamed excitedly from behind Ren like they were watching some legendary arena match instead of two people barely escaping death. Ren stood proudly atop a broken pillar, chest puffed out, his long ears twitching arrogantly while chunks of earth floated around him through distorted space.
"Hear that?" he said smugly while pointing dramatically at Bahamut and Sel in the distance. "The people have spoken!"
"You’re going to kill us, you oversized carrot!" Bahamut roared as he twisted midair. A boulder the size of a carriage flew past his head and exploded against a wall behind him.
BOOOOOOM!
Sel landed lightly beside him, breathing out slowly.
"You know," he said calmly, "I think the children are making him stronger."
"That’s not how power works!"
"With Ren? It might."
"YOU TWO ARE TALKING TOO MUCH!" Ren shouted.
The space beside him warped. Three massive rocks compressed unnaturally before launching forward like cannonballs. Bahamut’s eyes widened beneath his blindfold.
"Oh, come on!"
The two vanished instantly.
BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM!
The battlefield they had unintentionally created erupted again. Sand and debris blasted skyward while the children behind Ren lost their minds entirely.
"WHOOOOOO!"
"Big Bunny is winning!"
"The bunny hero!"
One little girl had somehow found a tiny wooden stick and was waving it around like a commander directing troops.
"Destroy them!"
Ren pointed dramatically toward Bahamut.
"You heard the tiny general!"
He stomped once.
KRAAAACK!
The ground split apart beneath Bahamut and Sel. Before they could recover, Ren appeared directly above them through a spatial tear, both clawed fists raised.
"CHAOS DROP!"
"THAT IS NOT A REAL MOVE!" Bahamut yelled.
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
The impact flattened the ground completely. Dust exploded everywhere. The children gasped dramatically.
FWOOOSH!
Golden wings burst from the dust cloud as Bahamut shot upward, carrying Sel under one arm. Sel blinked slowly.
"Why am I the one being carried?"
"You looked emotionally defeated."
"I am emotionally defeated!"
Another rock immediately smashed toward them. Bahamut twisted violently in the air.
"WHY IS HE ACTUALLY TRYING TO HIT US?!"
"Because he finally has an audience," Sel answered.
"That somehow makes it worse!"
Ren laughed maniacally.
"You should see your faces!"
"You are enjoying this too much!" Bahamut shouted.
"AND YOU ARE TOO EASY TO BULLY!"
The children erupted into another round of cheers. Even some exhausted warriors nearby had stopped to watch. Several of them looked utterly confused at the sight of the terrifying humanoid bunny being worshipped by children, while two monsters among disciples fled for their lives.
One warrior slowly lowered his spear.
"Are they really the people who fought the horde earlier?"
Another nodded blankly.
"I think the war broke them mentally."
Meanwhile, Exildra, Lily, and Alana watched from nearby. Alana crossed her arms.
"I support Ren."
Bahamut looked betrayed.
"YOU TOO?!"
Lily nodded seriously.
"You deserve it."
"What did I even do?!"
Exildra smiled sweetly.
"Existing."
Sel immediately pointed at Bahamut.
"She’s right."
"Traitor!"
Ren suddenly raised both hands dramatically. The children collectively leaned forward in anticipation. Space distorted violently behind him as a gigantic boulder slowly emerged from a crack in space. The entire area went silent.
Bahamut stared.
"Ren."
"Yes?"
"Put the mountain down."
"It’s not a mountain."
"REN."
"It’s an aggressively large pebble."
Sel looked at Bahamut calmly.
"We should run."
"WAY AHEAD OF YOU!"
The two disappeared instantly. Ren hurled the "aggressively large pebble" with enough force to create a sonic boom.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The children screamed in excitement while half the adults in Senkeht questioned if another beast attack had started.
