SAO: Strawberry Bunny

The sound of clashing steel and bellowing roars echoed through the labyrinth's ancient halls. The fight was already in full swing. Kantaras, the Eastern Hoya Minotaur, charged forward with a furious roar, its sword and shield gleaming in the dim crystal light. Its brute strength made every swing of its sword a shockwave of force that echoed throughout the maze. Opposite it, Govarron, the Western Hoya Minotaur, circled with its massive greataxe held high, its cold, calculating eyes analyzing the group's every move.

Strawberry darted to the side, her scythe spinning as she parried Kantaras's wild swing. The sheer force of the blow rattled her arms, but she held firm. "Quinella, Larbrook, keep Govarron off my back!" she shouted, her mask hiding the strain in her voice.

"We're on it!" Quinella called back. Her rapier darted like a silver streak, aiming for Govarron's legs to disrupt its stance. The hulking minotaur grunted, sidestepping her strike and swinging its greataxe in a devastating arc. Quinella barely managed to roll out of the way, her breath hitching as the blade slammed into the stone floor with a deafening crash.

Larbrook charged in with a roar, his axe clashing against Govarron's greataxe. Sparks flew as the two heavy weapons collided, the sheer force of the exchange sending a shockwave through the room. "This one's got brains!" Larbrook grunted, his feet skidding back as Govarron pushed him away.

Meanwhile, Muffin perched on Strawberry's shoulder, his tiny body tensed as he watched the chaos unfold. His sharp eyes tracked every movement of the minotaurs, squeaking in alarm whenever one got too close to his human companion.

Kantaras was relentless. It didn't fight with strategy or cunning; it was pure, unbridled aggression. It charged at Strawberry again, its shield raised high. The force of the impact sent her skidding back, her boots scraping against the stone floor.

"Alright, big guy," Strawberry muttered under her breath. "Let's see how you like this."

Her wires snapped out from her wrists, wrapping around Kantaras's shield arm. With a sharp tug, she pulled the minotaur off balance, creating an opening. She darted in, her scythe flashing as it sliced across its side. The creature roared in fury, its glowing red eyes locking onto her with renewed rage.

It swung its sword wildly, forcing her to backflip out of range. As she landed, Muffin squeaked loudly, stomping his tiny paw against her shoulder as if to scold her for taking unnecessary risks.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," she muttered. "I've got it under control."

Kantaras lunged again, its massive sword slamming into the ground where she had stood just moments before. Strawberry used her wires to latch onto a nearby pillar, pulling herself up and over the beast in one fluid motion. As she descended, she swung her scythe downward, aiming for the back of its neck. The blade struck true, and Kantaras roared in pain, but it wasn't enough to bring the beast down.

On the other side of the room, Quinella and Larbrook were locked in a deadly dance with Govarron. Unlike its brutish counterpart, Govarron fought with precision and patience. It deflected Larbrook's powerful swings with its greataxe, its movements measured and deliberate.

"You've got some skill for an overgrown cow," Larbrook growled, his muscles straining as he swung his axe again.

Govarron sidestepped the blow effortlessly, its cold eyes narrowing as it spotted an opening. It brought its greataxe down in a powerful arc, aiming for Larbrook's exposed side. Quinella darted in at the last second, her rapier deflecting the strike just enough to throw off its trajectory.

"Pay attention, Larbrook!" she snapped, her violet eyes flashing with irritation.

"Yeah, yeah, I owe you one," Larbrook grumbled, regaining his footing.

Quinella pressed the attack, her rapier striking with pinpoint accuracy. She aimed for the minotaur's joints, hoping to weaken its mobility. Her strikes were quick and relentless, but Govarron was equally skilled, deflecting her blade with its greataxe and countering with swift, calculated strikes.

"Strawberry!" Quinella called out. "We need to finish this quickly! Govarron's figuring out our patterns!"

Strawberry glanced over her shoulder, assessing the situation. Kantaras was injured but still very much a threat, and Govarron's calculated strikes were keeping Quinella and Larbrook on the defensive.

"Alright, time to shake things up," she muttered.

She released her wires again, latching onto Kantaras's sword arm and pulling herself toward it. The minotaur swung its sword wildly, but she ducked under the blow, using her momentum to swing around and land on its back. Muffin squeaked loudly, clinging tightly to her hood as she drove her scythe into the creature's shoulder.

Kantaras roared in pain, thrashing wildly as it tried to dislodge her. She held on tightly, her wires wrapping around its neck to keep her steady. "Quinella, now!" she shouted.

Quinella didn't hesitate. She broke away from Govarron and sprinted toward Kantaras, her rapier glowing with a faint light as she activated a Sword Art. With a swift, precise strike, she drove her blade into Kantaras's exposed side, piercing through its armor.

The minotaur let out one final roar before collapsing to the ground, its body disintegrating into a burst of polygons.

With Kantaras defeated, the group turned their full attention to Govarron. The aged minotaur stood tall, its greataxe raised high as it surveyed the battlefield. Despite being outnumbered, it showed no signs of fear or hesitation.

"This one's not going down easy," Larbrook said, his axe at the ready.

Strawberry stepped forward, her scythe glinting in the faint light. "We've got this. Just keep it distracted."

As the group closed in, Govarron let out a deep, resonant bellow and charged. It swung its greataxe in a wide arc, forcing the group to scatter. Quinella darted in from the side, her rapier aiming for its legs, but Govarron was ready. It deflected her strike with its greataxe and countered with a powerful backhand, sending her sprawling.

"Quinella!" Strawberry shouted, her wires snapping out to catch the minotaur's weapon before it could follow up.

Larbrook roared, charging in with his axe. He brought it down with all his strength, the blade connecting with Govarron's shoulder and forcing the creature to its knees. Strawberry seized the opportunity, her scythe spinning as she delivered a series of precise strikes to its exposed back.

Govarron roared in defiance, its movements growing more desperate. With one final swing of its greataxe, it tried to take them all down in a wide, sweeping attack. But Strawberry was faster. Her wires wrapped around its legs, pulling it off balance, and Larbrook's axe struck the killing blow.

The minotaur collapsed to the ground, its body disintegrating into polygons.

The group stood in silence for a moment, catching their breath as the dust settled. Muffin chirped softly, his tiny ears twitching as he peeked out from Strawberry's hood.

"Well," Larbrook said, wiping sweat from his brow. "That was one hell of a fight."

Quinella nodded, her violet eyes meeting Strawberry's. "Good work, team."

Strawberry didn't respond immediately, her gaze fixed on the spot where the minotaurs had fallen. Finally, she nodded. "Let's see what they were guarding. This better have been worth the 2 weeks of this."

With renewed determination, the group pressed on, ready to uncover the secrets hidden within the labyrinth.

________________________________________

Two weeks within its twisting, mist-shrouded halls had been a grueling experience for Strawberry, Quinella, Larbrook, and Muffin. The journey was a relentless cycle of battles, disorienting pathways, and tense moments of near defeat. Poor Muffin almost got swallowed by Roaring Wolves. Strawberry had to comfort the traumatized rabbit for hours.

The first week was a trial of endurance. The labyrinth's twisting paths and ever-present mist played tricks on their minds. Every time they thought they were making progress, the narrow corridors looped back on themselves. At one point, they swore they passed the same glowing crystal embedded in the wall five separate times, even though they'd been walking for hours.

"What is this place?" Quinella muttered, frustrated. Her silver hair was plastered to her face from the damp air, her usually composed demeanor cracking. "It's like it's alive."

Larbrook grunted, his sharp eyes scanning the shifting shadows. "It probably is. This floor seems to have a knack for making things personal."

Strawberry stayed silent, her mask concealing her growing frustration. Muffin, sensing her unease, chirped and nuzzled her cheek from his perch inside her hood. She reached up to pat him absentmindedly. "At least we've got you to keep us sane, buddy."

Late one evening during their first week, the group found themselves camped in a wider section of the labyrinth. The oppressive mist seemed thinner here, offering a rare moment of relief. But their peace was short-lived.

As Strawberry leaned back against a rock, sharpening her scythe, she heard the faint rustle of movement in the shadows. Her hand froze, her eyes narrowing. "Something's coming."

The growling started low, a rumble that vibrated through the ground. Before they could react, a pack of Roaring Wolves emerged from the mist, their glowing yellow eyes fixed on the group. The Alpha let out a piercing howl, and the wolves charged.

Muffin squeaked in alarm and darted into Strawberry's hood as she stood, scythe in hand. "Protect the campsite!" she shouted, her wires snapping out to entangle the closest wolf.

Larbrook and Quinella sprang into action, their weapons gleaming in the faint light of the glowing crystals. Larbrook's axe cleaved through two wolves in a single swing, while Quinella's rapier darted like lightning, striking with precision.

But the wolves kept coming, their numbers bolstered by the Alpha's howls. One particularly bold wolf leapt toward Muffin, its jaws snapping dangerously close. The little rabbit squeaked in terror, pressing himself deeper into Strawberry's hood.

"Not today!" Strawberry growled, her wires snapping around the wolf's neck and pulling it away mid-air. With a swift swing of her scythe, she finished it off.

After what felt like an eternity, the wolves retreated, their howls fading into the distance. The group stood panting, their weapons slick with blood. Muffin peeked out cautiously, his wide eyes brimming with fear.

Strawberry spent hours comforting the trembling rabbit, stroking his fur and murmuring reassurances. "You're safe now, Muffin. I won't let anything happen to you."

By the second week, exhaustion had set in. The labyrinth seemed determined to break their spirits. Food supplies were running low, and even Muffin seemed less energetic, his usual chirps subdued.

"Another dead end," Quinella said bitterly, her rapier stabbing into the ground as she leaned against it. "How many more of these before we find the damn minotaurs?"

Larbrook sat heavily on a rock, his axe resting across his knees. "We've faced everything from wolves to spiders to twisted Fae. There's gotta be an end to this."

Strawberry didn't reply, her eyes scanning the mist-shrouded path ahead. Her body ached from countless battles, but she refused to let it show. Muffin nuzzled her neck, offering a quiet chirp of encouragement. She managed a small smile. "We've come too far to give up now."

The worst ambush came on their ninth day in the labyrinth. As they navigated a narrow corridor, a shadow passed overhead. Quinella froze, her violet eyes narrowing. "Did you see that?"

Before anyone could answer, a Thicket Spider dropped from the ceiling, its massive body blocking the path ahead. Its eight glowing red eyes locked onto them, and it let out an ear-piercing screech.

"Spider!" Larbrook roared, swinging his axe at the creature's legs.

The spider moved with unsettling speed, its venomous fangs snapping at Quinella. She dodged gracefully, her rapier slicing across one of its legs. Strawberry flanked it from the other side, her wires wrapping around its abdomen and pulling it off balance.

As the spider thrashed, Muffin let out a terrified squeak and buried himself deeper into Strawberry's hood. "It's okay, Muffin. I've got this," she said, her voice steady despite the chaos.

The fight was brutal. The spider's venomous attacks forced them to stay on the move, and its thick exoskeleton made it difficult to land a killing blow. But after a grueling battle, Quinella's rapier found its mark, piercing the spider's underbelly. It let out one final screech before collapsing, its body disintegrating into polygons.

On the twelfth day, as the group rested in a small alcove, they came across a glowing crystal embedded in the wall. Unlike the others, this one pulsed with a soothing light, its energy seemingly rejuvenating their spirits.

"This might be the first good thing we've found in this cursed place," Quinella said, her voice laced with relief.

Strawberry reached out to touch the crystal, feeling a warmth spread through her hand. "It's like it's telling us not to give up," she said softly.

Muffin chirped in agreement, his ears perking up for the first time in days.

________________________________________

Now, as the group approached the secret chamber, Strawberry and Quinella just wanted this quest over with. Looking at her status screen, she had to admit, their was a bright side to all of this.

Player Name: Strawberry

Level: 50

HP: 5000

EXP to Next Level: 12,450 EXP

Strength: 142 → 149

Agility: 138 → 145

Defense: 130 → 136

Intelligence: 124 → 128

Sword Arts:

Scythe Mastery (Rank 5): Increased proficiency with scythes. +15% DMG.

Wire Manipulation (Rank 3): Allows precise use of wires in battle. Deals additional binding damage.

Dual-Wielding Proficiency (Rank 2): Unlocks abilities for two-weapon combat.

Abilities:

Phantom Petal Paths: A unique martial arts style, granting evasion bonuses and high-speed combos.

Deadly Coil: Executes a flurry of strikes using wires, stunning targets for 3 seconds.

Ravaging Moon: A devastating scythe combo that deals AoE damage.

Equipment:

Radiant Scythe of the Rose Moon (Unique Gear):

- Stats: +25 DMG, +10% critical chance, +5% lifesteal.

- Passive Ability: Blood Resonance - Absorbs enemy HP upon successful critical hits.

Obsidian Mask of Concealment (Unique Gear):

- Effect: Conceals player name, reduces enemy detection range by 20%.

- Passive Ability: Shadow Veil - Enhances stealth abilities by 15%.

Inventory Highlights:

Healing Potions x5

Paralysis Cure x2

Dragon Gemstones (Topaz, Amethyst)

Strawberry gave a soft, humorless chuckle as she looked over her stats. "Well, at least we got stronger out of this mess," she muttered, closing the interface. Muffin chirped in agreement, poking his head out of her hood to see the golden light ahead.

Quinella caught her comment and glanced at her own status screen, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "True. But let's make this the last maze we wander around in for weeks, yeah?"

Larbrook let out a low chuckle. "You two sure complain a lot for people who haven't been swallowed by a giant spider. I'd call that a win."

Strawberry turned to him, smirking beneath her mask. "Easy for you to say, muscle man. You're not the one keeping Muffin calm every time a spider drops out of the ceiling."

Muffin gave a soft chirp of protest, earning a laugh from Quinella. "He's not wrong, Muffin. You're the real MVP."