Ah... life really is unfair, I thought as I chewed on yet another weird plant, always alert, ears twitching at every sound.
It's been about a week since I reincarnated as a black rabbit in this strange place —a land where the sky is always filled with stars, yet there's no sun or moon. Eternal twilight. Even this bizarre plant I'm munching on has tiny constellations glowing between its leaves.
The only good thing?It actually tastes amazing. Like… I don't even know what. But I like it.
The bad part?Almost everything wants to eat me.
I leap to the side, narrowly dodging the claws of some dumb bird. Even here, animals still run on instinct... though some of those "instincts" involve shooting blades of air at you.
Totally normal.
I dodge another strike —feathers, talons, wind blades— and when the bird dives again to grab me, I jump straight at it.
Mid-air, I twist and land a solid kick.
CRACK.
Its wing snaps at the joint, sending the bird spiraling to the ground.
These dumb birds never learn.
I may look like a normal black rabbit, but my legs and speed are anything but. So far, not a single creature has been able to match me in a chase, and if I land a proper kick, I can rattle a tree.
The downside?Living as a quadruped.
Also, having a full 360-degree field of vision was super weird at first... but I got used to it faster than expected.
The bird lets out a pained screech, flapping helplessly with its broken wing, glaring at me like it wants revenge. I just stare back, lazily chomping on a fat bundle of glowing leaves.
These things are incredible.They're packed with energy, and I can feel myself growing stronger the more I eat.I never get full —which is amazing. It's like free protein shakes that taste like starlight and sugarcane.
I hear it —that sound— something slithering through the grass.
Tch! That damn snake again.Has she been on my tail since the moment I was born? Or... formed?I never was a baby bunny. I just went poof —human one second, full-grown rabbit the next.
No warning. No tutorial. No dignity.
I shove as many leaves as I can into my mouth and crouch low into the underbrush. The injured bird keeps screeching like an idiot —good. That'll draw her attention.
And it does. Without hesitation, the snake lunges out and grabs the dumb bird mid-flap. It goes wild, flapping like crazy, launching those wind blades in every direction —but she doesn't care. Her fangs sink in deep, just like she did with all the other poor suckers that chased me.
Thirteen birds so far.
The first four were tricky. After that?I figured out their pattern. Easy peasy.
Without wasting another second, I bolt.
Maybe I'll count to two hundred this time, then stop on the far side of the forest. Hopefully I don't end up in someone else's territory. Again.
The world blurs past me, but I can still see everything clearly.I'm a super-speed rabbit, apparently.
So far, I've only seen fellow prey get eaten for being reckless… or just plain stupid.Even a few foxes have gotten shredded.There aren't many animals around —and honestly, I hope it stays that way.Most of them can eat me.
Even the damn rats.
197... 198... 199... 200.
I skid to a halt beside a glowing rock shaped like a bent star, catching my breath —not that I really need to breathe anymore, but the habit's still there. My legs twitch, burning with leftover speed. My ears stay high and alert.
Safe.For now.
This side of the forest is quieter. The air tastes different —less predator, more... static? Like the calm before a storm.
I munch the last of the leaves I brought with me, letting the flavor sit on my tongue. It's hard to tell if I'm eating for survival or just out of boredom at this point.
That snake's persistent. I swear she's got it out for me.Revenge? Hunger? Territorial pride?
Don't care. As long as I stay faster, she can choke on dust and feathers.
Suddenly—something shifts.
The air hums. Not just around me —inside me. Like a string pulling tight.
I barely have time to twitch before my vision explodes in light. My body lifts off the ground —weightless, breathless, and for a brief, terrifying second... formless.
Then everything snaps.
Like a trap closing shut.
The world changed in an instant.
No more forest.Just a wide arena of compressed sand beneath my paws.
Around me, two other rabbits —just as confused, just as terrified— looked around frantically.And in front of us, equally stunned and blushing slightly, stood a girl in sporty blue training gear —designed for mobility— and a man in light leather armor, jotting notes in a small notebook.
So... I've just been summoned.
"Rabbits...? Celestial Rabbits, One Star?" the girl muttered, staring at something floating in the air —probably a status screen.
"Whatever! They're celestial beasts! Attack that goblin! Yah!"
She barked the command like a cheerleader, and the moment her words hit the air, all my confusion, awe, and irritation vanished —replaced by one singular urge:
Attack.
My eyes locked onto the goblin at the far end of the arena —shoved inside by some spearmen.A small, ugly humanoid thing with yellow skin and a big head. It looked equally confused.
The other rabbits —one white, one gray— perked up their ears and turned to face it, baring their tiny fangs.
Menacing? Not really.The girl even started snapping pictures of us like it was a school project.
Still, those two blasted forward at surprising speed and slammed headfirst into the goblin's chest, folding it over and shoving it back.The goblin clutched its stomach, face contorting in pain before letting out a loud, angry screech.
Meanwhile, the command still echoed in my mind like a ringing bell.Attack... attack...But it wasn't absolute. I could feel it —it pulled at me, but it couldn't force me.
So I do have free will... interesting.
I wondered if I could access anything.
"Status!" I thought. I can't speak, after all —just rabbit noises.
Instantly, a black window appeared before me, filled with transparent, glimmering stars.
Name: JackAge: 0yRace: Celestial Rabbit – 1 StarProfession: Summon BeastSkills: NoneLevel: 1 (13/100)
I focused on my profession, curious.I'd heard about systems like this back when I was human. Never thought I'd actually get to use one...Not after dying.
Profession: Summon BeastYou grow stronger by defeating monsters and accumulating energy (levels). Upon gathering enough, you may evolve.Additionally, you can continue strengthening within the Star Realm by consuming other beasts or plants.Every 5 levels unlocks potential evolutions or skills, shaped by the beast's desires and tendencies.
Huh. So that's how it works.
Kill things, eat things, get stronger.Simple enough.
Also... evolve, huh?
So even if I'm stuck as a rabbit now, that doesn't mean I'll stay like this forever.Maybe wings next? Razor teeth? A laser horn?
I am a celestial being, after all.A bottom-tier one, sure...But even garbage levels up.
"Is this little guy frozen in fear? Maybe that's why he's not moving…"The man chuckled, jotting something down while watching me."Not surprising. He's a rabbit. It's already weird that they try to fight at all. They're the fastest beast in the Celestial Realm —they usually just run."
Ohhh, if only I could talk...
Wait—I can respond.
I slammed a hind leg into the ground with all my strength —so hard the compressed sand cracked beneath me. I glared at the man, ears pulled back.
His eyes widened in surprise.
"Hehe, you made him mad!" the girl said with a small laugh, though I could feel it —a flicker of concern in her heart.Our summoning contract let me sense it, like a faint thread tugging between us.
Fine then.Guess I'd better go kill that ugly thing before I have to share the experience…Not that I know if that's even how this works.
With a powerful kick, I launched myself across the arena. The goblin was still trying to swat one of the other two rabbits —they were doing a decent hit-and-run tactic.
I landed silently behind it.
Then jumped—Straight up to its neck—And BOOM!
My back legs crashed into the base of its skull. I felt the vertebra snap.Its head bent at a horrifying angle, and the goblin choked on its own blood, collapsing to the ground.
The other two rabbits hissed and kept their guard up, still ready to fight.
But I saw it.Floating in my vision for just a second:
But I saw it.Floating in my vision for just a second:
+350 XPLevel Up!Level 1 → 2Level Up!Level 2 → 3 (63/100)
Damn... that hit was worth more than just satisfaction.
I jumped two full levels and still had some left over.I could feel it —a subtle shift inside me. My body felt lighter, tighter, like my muscles had been threaded with something... cleaner.
If this is what leveling feels like, I'm going to get addicted.