Sorry for the gap in chapters. I plan going forward to try for at least once a week. College comes first so no guarantees. *rawr*

Damn it, I forgot to try my Qi on the spider. Next time when I am not being ambushed testing can begin. Anyway, time to head into the forest. Still about a hundred feet from the trees.

*With more caution I head towards the forest. Once I have gotten into the trees everything seemed to fall quiet as the wind stopped. Only the occasional creak of the trees accompanied me.*

While I wasn’t expecting herds of animals I am disappointed at the amount of creatures. Deeper in isn’t an option, especially with the possibility of giant spiders. I guess after a few hundred more feet I should walk while following the forest’s edge.

--- ~10 minutes later ---

Okay, up ahead I can hear water noises. At least there should be Some animals there.

*As I approach the water a clearing appears ahead of me. A creek burbles through it and for the first time since I entered the forest there is actual sunlight. Next to the water a small herd of 7 animals is present.*

Getting closer I suppress the urge to laugh. It looks like I get to face horned rabbits at least in spirit. The small animals while looking like a rabbit it probably falls under a more lizardly category. At about twice the size of a normal rabbit, covered in a sensible coat of forest green scales, and sporting what looks to be a set of sharp horns from their forehead just above their eyes they make a weird sight. Strangest though is that instead of a cottontail as it where they seem to have a mass of feathery scales in that classic puffball shape. I wasn’t planning in particular to fight them till I saw what they were gathered around. These bunnies are carnivores. A “small” cat sized spider corpse is strewn across the grass. Yeah their horns are apparently deadly enough as those holes in the corpse can attest. This might be a lucky break for me as they all seem to be distracted with eating it.

*I sneak to the edge of the clearing. Then all the rabbits turn to look at me*

…

I guess those ears aren't for nothing then. Now at least I know why they didn’t have one on lookout. Time test that Qi out.

*A quick glance to each side to make sure I’m not being flanked and I start infusing my wrench. Not waiting for it to finish I rush into the clearing. The biggest of the enemy seeing this jumps at me in an attempt to gore my stomach. With the rabbit now in the air I swing my wrench like a bat to try to hit it off course. The wrench connects and slams the rabbit to the side into a tree. As it connected a barely visible shock wave seems to come off of the spikes as they are piercing causing some it to bleed heavily.*

Well now I know that the spikes work though I definitely designed it wrong. Sadly though the glow seems to be slow in coming back.

*Having successfully diverted the Alpha I head towards the rest of the herd hoping to finish some of the weaker looking one. An overhead swing smashes into one of the smallest rabbits as it attempts to attack me. With that the small rabbit is crushed into the ground with just one swing not even twitching. Suddenly a sharp pain in my side distracts me*

*-5hp*

Another damn small one pincer attacked me! I won’t stand for that.

*I reach for the rabbit but it quickly jumps away as the two regular rabbits come at me. There isn’t a way to dodge both so I swing my wrench at the left one while trying to slam the other. A loud bang happens as I slam the one rabbit while the other avoids my wrench at the cost of it’s attack.*

*The spikes are glowing again so hoping for a quick kill I bring the wrench back and bash it down on the rabbit I just slammed. The shock wave from the spikes seem to pulverize it. My quick attack killed it but now the Alpha seems to have recovered and is coming at me again. Along with it the three small rabbits flank me to attack. Having learned it’s lesson the Alpha approaches me carefully. Sadly for it this gives me enough time to take a swing at one of the small rabbits and smash it into the ground.*

*Enraged at seeing another of its herd slaughtered the Alpha gives up the cautious approach and once again jumps at me. The two remaining small rabbits follow suit. With this I can’t dodge them all so I bring my wrench up to block the Alpha.*

*-3hp, -3hp*

*A loud clang rings out as the Alpha’s horns meet my wrench. At this the small rabbits try to retreat but I am ready this time. With a quick grab I catch one of them. Turning around I bring the struggling rabbit up in time to block the final normal rabbit.*

*Throwing the small rabbit to the side I swipe at the normal rabbit grazing it’s back. Following through with my swing I barely manage to catch the Alpha as it attacks me from behind. My wrench slams into it’s side. Once again the Alpha is blasted into a nearby tree. A sharp pain radiates from my back as a small one slams into me but then dies as it bleeds out.*

*-3hp*

*Though distracted by that I still see the normal rabbit come at me again. A quick side step and I dodge it’s attack. While the rabbit recovers it’s balance my wrench smashes it down.Pulling my wrench free with my backswing I slam into the Alpha just as the glowing has recharged. With that the Alpha hits the ground and bleeds out. The last two rabbits, seeing their leader dead, panic and run into the forest. Feeling that was enough I don’t follow.*

Well that could have gone worse. Luckily while slow to charge my weapons Qi attack seems to cause internal bleeding. Though seeing how it seems to work I wish I hadn’t gone with the spikes now. The circuit causes a shock wave which would be better with a blunt weapon. Anyway I better harvest them before anything worse shows up.

--- After some bloody butchering ---

*ding*

Gained Rough Butchering (Mammal) Beginner 1Rough Butchering (Mammal) increased to 3 from 1

Sadly I only got the horns off of the bigger rabbits and only the Alpha’s pelt was any good. Least there will be a good bit of meat for dinner. Oh yeah, apparently the things are called Rabliz. While it looks like a boring mash up of the first few letters of rabbit and lizard it is a native word or at least that’s what the pop-up told me. Probably the most surprising bit was they are mammals. At least that is what I gather from the fact I got mammal butchering.

*ding*

Two Butchering subskills foundGain one more to merge them into Rough Butchering. If completed within a month and before any of the subskills reach Basic rank as a reward you will instead get Butchering.

Ah, well that just brings up the question of how to find fish or a real lizard then. I have to guess the only reason I am getting this so easy is my experience from my previous life. Though I would lose this help in a heartbeat if it means I can keep my Qi now. Actually that reminds me I need to take a look at my wrench.

With this we finally see him using his Qi to attack. Of course with some cultivation and better equipment it will work better. Also don’t worry that I will be keeping it to only specialized weapons. Later on once he has more there will be the more standard sort of techniques being used occasionally.