SAO: Strawberry Bunny

As Strawberry stepped into the 1st Floor Labyrinth, a sharp change enveloped her senses. The world outside was bright and warm, but inside the labyrinth, a stark contrast awaited her. The air was cool, damp, and carried a faint scent of moss and old wood. The maze-like structure of the labyrinth stretched out before her, its towering hallowed trees forming natural walls that twisted and turned unpredictably.

These trees, thick with ancient bark, made it impossible for anyone to pass through, forcing her to stick to the defined paths. Their gnarled roots snaked across the ground, partially covered in patches of lush green grass. Though the sunlight was hidden, a dim, ethereal light seemed to filter through the treetops, casting long shadows and giving the place an otherworldly glow. A soft breeze wafted through the maze, carrying with it the distant rustle of leaves, and, occasionally, the sound of a creature moving unseen. The labyrinth felt alive, breathing as though it were a creature of its own.

Muffin, her newly adopted horned bunny companion, sat perched on her shoulder, his tiny claws gripping the fabric of her coat. He had grown more comfortable since their meeting, no longer timid or skittish. Instead, Muffin's personality was slowly starting to shine. He would occasionally chirp excitedly when they found something interesting, or nudge Strawberry's neck when she paused too long, eager to keep moving.

"Alright, Muffin, let's get through this," Strawberry muttered as she pulled her sword free from its sheath, the blade gleaming faintly in the dim light.

The bunny let out a soft trill, his tiny tail twitching in excitement. He was no longer just a passive rider—he seemed to understand the nature of their journey now, as though the labyrinth itself had stirred something adventurous in him. He would hop to the top of Strawberry's head whenever she knelt down to inspect an item or ore, looking around like a small, fuzzy lookout.

0*0*0*0

Fighting through the labyrinth was no easy task, as it was filled with various monstrous foes, each one more dangerous than the last. The first group Strawberry encountered were the Frenzied Kobolds—short, humanoid creatures with blue skin, yellow eyes, and jagged teeth. They wielded rusted axes and shields, their movements erratic as they charged at her with reckless abandon. Their numbers were great, but their strength was manageable.

Strawberry danced around them with ease, her agility allowing her to dodge their clumsy strikes. The Frenzied Kobolds snarled and swung wildly, their axes crashing into the ground where she had been moments before. With a swift counter, she slashed through their defenses, sending them shattering into pixels one by one. Muffin hopped up and down on her shoulder, chirping triumphantly as each one fell.

Next came the Orc Brutes, towering over her at nearly seven feet tall, their massive muscles rippling beneath their thick, green skin. Unlike the Kobolds, these creatures were far more deliberate in their attacks. Armed with heavy clubs, the Orc Brutes swung with devastating force, each strike capable of shattering the ground beneath them.

Strawberry narrowly dodged one of these heavy swings, the gust of air from the club brushing past her face. The Orcs moved slower than the Kobolds, but their raw power made up for it. Every hit would be lethal if she didn't avoid it. She struck at their weak spots—knees, joints, and their exposed backs—taking them down with precision.

Her blade carved through one of the Orcs, and as it shattered into polygons, Muffin let out an indignant squeak. One of the Orcs had tried to swipe at him, but Strawberry had saved the bunny just in time. Muffin puffed out his chest proudly, as if claiming victory for himself.

As they moved deeper into the labyrinth, they faced Stone Golems, hulking creatures made of jagged rocks and earthen elements. Their glowing eyes burned with an ancient fury, and their stone fists pounded the ground with immense force. These enemies were slower, but their defense was nearly impenetrable. Strawberry had to time her strikes perfectly, waiting for the exact moment when their rock armor opened up to reveal a weak point.

Her strikes reverberated up her arms as her sword clashed against their rocky hide. The Stone Golems let out low, rumbling growls as they crumbled to pieces under her relentless assault. Each kill was hard-earned, and every ounce of effort brought her closer to the boss room.

0*0*0*0

Hours passed as Strawberry and Muffin fought their way through the labyrinth. Each encounter left her stronger, more focused, and more determined. She gathered ores and valuable items from the monsters she defeated, stuffing them into her inventory for later use. Some of the ores glittered with a faint glow, hinting at their high value.

Muffin had become more and more animated with each victory, hopping from her shoulder to the ground whenever they looted a particularly shiny item. He had developed a habit of sniffing out treasure, his nose twitching as he pointed out things that Strawberry might have missed. His growing spunk was a welcome distraction from the intensity of the fights, and she found herself talking to him more as they delved deeper.

"You think this one's worth anything?" Strawberry asked, holding up a shimmering stone she had found embedded in the wall.

Muffin gave an approving chirp, his eyes wide with interest. He hopped up onto her head and nudged her with his nose, as if urging her to hurry up and pocket the loot.

She chuckled and stuffed the stone into her inventory. "Alright, alright. I'll take it."

Finally, after hours of battle, Strawberry stood before the boss room once more. She knew what waited inside—Illfang the Kobold Lord, along with his Ruin Kobold Sentinels.

The boss fight was going to be a challenge, one meant for a raid party of forty-four players. Illfang had four massive health bars, and each time one depleted, he would grow more dangerous, switching to deadlier weapons and summoning more Sentinels to aid him.

As she pushed the doors open, the cold air of the boss room washed over her, carrying the faint metallic scent of battle. The towering form of Illfang loomed at the far end of the chamber, his glowing red eyes locked onto her. His body was covered in thick metal armor, only his throat exposed as a weak point.

The Sentinels flanked him, their heavy maces and halberds gleaming under the dim light. They were humanoid, but their long, thin ears and tails marked them as something otherworldly. Their movements were eerily synchronized, and as Strawberry stepped into the room, they began to advance.

This is brutal. As expected of a labyrinth boss.

The Sentinels fought with deadly coordination, their massive weapons crashing down with bone-shaking force. Strawberry's blade flashed in the air as she danced around their strikes, but even with her agility, the sheer number of attacks was overwhelming.

She focused on the Sentinels first, slashing at their weak points—their throats—and watching as they shattered into polygons. But for every Sentinel she took down, another seemed to take its place. And through it all, Illfang watched from the back of the room, waiting for his moment to strike.

By the time she had cleared out the Sentinels, her HP was dangerously low, her health bar flashing red. Illfang roared, charging toward her with terrifying speed. His massive nōdachi cleaved through the air, and Strawberry barely managed to dodge in time, the blade grazing her shoulder.

She fought valiantly, dodging and countering as best she could, but the sheer power of Illfang was too much. One heavy strike from his nōdachi sent her crashing into the wall, her HP dropping to a sliver.

I can't win. Not yet. I need more levels on me to beat this fucker.

With a frustrated growl, she made the difficult decision to retreat. She dodged one final attack from Illfang, sprinting toward the door with everything she had. The boss roared in fury, but she managed to escape, collapsing against the wall outside the boss room.

I need more time to hone my skills.

After grinding for another hour, leveling up, and upgrading her skills with the levels she had gathered, Strawberry returned to the boss room, her resolve hardened.

This time, the battle went differently.

She moved with calculated precision, taking down the Sentinels one by one. Her improved speed and agility gave her the edge she needed. Each Sentinel fell to her blade, their massive forms shattering into polygons. Illfang roared in fury as his minions fell, but Strawberry kept her focus, whittling down his HP bars one by one.

The battle was long, grueling. Illfang switched weapons, moving faster and hitting harder with each phase. By the time she reached his final HP bar, her arms ached, her body was drenched in sweat, and her potions were running low.

Can't stop. More. Faster. I need to go faster!

With one final, desperate push, she dodged Illfang's wide swing and dashed forward, her blade flashing in the dim light as she struck at his exposed throat. The blow landed true, and Illfang let out a deafening roar as his massive body crumbled into polygons.

She collapsed to her knees, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Muffin chirped excitedly from her shoulder, his little paws patting her head as if congratulating her on the victory.

As the final pieces of Illfang's body disappeared, a glowing treasure chest appeared at the center of the room. Strawberry approached it slowly, her heart racing with anticipation. She opened the chest and found the rewards waiting inside—the [Hooded Coat of the Rose Moon] and the [Mask of the Rose Moon].

The Hooded Coat was an oversized, black zipper hoodie with light pink designs, complete with rabbit ears attached to the hood. The Mask was glossy black, decorated with intricate pink swirls, and had a magical property that allowed it to attach to her face seamlessly. Both items were part of a set, and together, they provided +10 to Agility, +10 to Perception, and +5 to Charisma. More importantly, they granted the passive skill [Rose Moon's Aura], which surrounded her sword in a stunning pink aura.

"Finally, I got a hoodie!" With a satisfied grin, Strawberry donned the Hooded Coat and Mask, feeling the power of the set flow through her. The rabbit ears on the hood twitched slightly as Muffin chirped happily from her shoulder.

"Ready to go, Muffin?" she whispered, her eyes glinting with excitement. "Or should we go one more time?"

Standing before the door to the next floor, she couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. She had conquered the 1st Floor Boss alone, something no one else had done.