SAO: Strawberry Bunny

The morning sun cast a soft, golden glow over the rugged landscape as Strawberry, Muffin, and Quinella set out toward the ominous silhouette of Spiral Mountain looming in the distance. It was an imposing sight, the mountain twisting up into the sky like a jagged spiral staircase. There was no question why it had earned such a fearsome reputation among players.

"Spiral Mountain," Quinella said, her tone a mixture of awe and determination. "I heard some players made it partway up, but most turned back. Only a few managed to map out parts of it before retreating. Apparently, the boss is at the peak, but it's hidden by a maze of tunnels."

Strawberry nodded, glancing at Muffin, who was perched snugly in her hood. His little nose twitched with curiosity, and he seemed eager, perhaps too eager, given the dangers ahead.

The journey had only begun, and they could already feel the tension building. The entrance to the labyrinth appeared as they crested the final ridge, a dark, foreboding opening at the base of Spiral Mountain. From their vantage point, they could see faint flickers of blue light emanating from deeper within, the glow of immortal crystals embedded in the rock walls.

"Well," Strawberry said, tightening her grip on her scythe, "two ways to the top, right? We either brave the rolling pill bugs on the spiral path or try to navigate the insect tunnels."

Quinella looked over the spiraling path that wound around the mountain. It appeared deceptively straightforward but was littered with the remnants of broken boulders and crushed stones—a warning of what lay ahead. She turned to the tunnel entrance, where the faint sound of skittering echoed back to them.

"Neither is exactly safe," Quinella noted, her voice cautious. "But if we're careful, we might be able to use the tunnels without drawing too much attention."

Muffin chirped his approval, as if the idea of giant, rolling pill bugs didn't sound nearly as appealing as cautiously avoiding burrowing insects.

Strawberry smirked, giving him a gentle scratch. "Seems like Muffin has made up our minds. The tunnels it is, then."

As they entered the tunnels, they were greeted by an eerie quiet, broken only by the occasional soft hum of glowing crystals embedded in the walls. The crystals emitted a faint, blue glow that cast long, dancing shadows across the rough stone, their light too dim to provide a sense of safety. Instead, they only served to deepen the shadows, making the space feel more cavernous and foreboding.

The tunnels themselves varied wildly, almost as if designed to disorient anyone brave enough to enter. In some sections, they could walk side by side, the walls spaced comfortably apart, with enough headroom to swing a weapon if necessary. But just as quickly, the passage would narrow, forcing them into single file. In some spots, the ceiling dipped so low that Strawberry had to duck to avoid hitting her head. At one particularly tight section, they were forced to crawl on their hands and knees, much to Muffin's dismay. The little horned bunny huffed and puffed, but he held on tight, his tiny paws gripping Strawberry's shoulder for dear life.

"Just a bit further, Muffin," Strawberry reassured him, suppressing a grin as she listened to his dramatic sighs.

The crystals lining the walls gave the impression of safety, but they were an illusion. The tunnels were a maze of false security, the darkened nooks and crannies hiding dangers that could leap out at any moment. And then, after what felt like hours of silent crawling and ducking, they heard it—a faint scuffling sound ahead, punctuated by guttural muttering and the clinking of metal.

Strawberry held up a hand, signaling Quinella to stop. They pressed against the tunnel walls, listening as the sounds grew closer.

"Goblins," Quinella whispered, her expression hardening. "Sounds like a whole pack of them."

As the scuffling drew nearer, the light from the crystals reflected off small, green-skinned figures wielding makeshift weapons—rusty daggers, crude spears, and even sharpened bones tied to sticks. The goblins' red eyes glinted with mischief and malice, and their guttural muttering became louder as they closed in, oblivious to the two players waiting in the shadows.

Strawberry and Quinella exchanged a look, silently agreeing on their plan. The tight quarters meant limited room to maneuver, but they could use it to their advantage. Quinella shifted her grip on her sword, while Strawberry tightened her hold on her scythe, the blade glinting faintly in the crystal light.

As the first goblin rounded the corner, Strawberry didn't hesitate. She struck with a powerful swing of her scythe, catching the goblin across its chest. It let out a surprised yelp, its body crumpling to the ground as the others looked on in shock.

The goblins recovered quickly, their eyes narrowing with anger as they hissed and snarled, raising their weapons. One by one, they charged into the narrow tunnel, their footsteps echoing off the walls.

"Here we go!" Quinella called, stepping forward and slashing her sword through the air. Her blade caught another goblin, and it collapsed with a strangled cry, its weapon clattering to the ground.

Muffin squeaked in alarm as another goblin darted toward Strawberry, brandishing a spear. She sidestepped the thrust, bringing her scythe down in a sweeping arc that sent the goblin flying backward.

"Stay behind me, Muffin!" Strawberry shouted, turning to face the next goblin as it lunged at her with a jagged bone dagger. She parried the blow with the shaft of her scythe, then spun, delivering a swift kick that sent the goblin sprawling.

Quinella ducked as another goblin lunged at her, narrowly avoiding its wild swing. She countered with a quick thrust, her sword piercing its side. With a flick of her wrist, she pulled her sword free, spinning to face the next opponent.

But the goblins kept coming, pouring out from deeper in the tunnels as if summoned by the sounds of battle. Their snarling grew louder, their numbers undeterred by the growing pile of fallen comrades. They moved in a chaotic swarm, their crude weapons jabbing and slicing as they tried to overwhelm the players.

One particularly large goblin snarled as it raised a spiked club and charged at Strawberry, swinging with surprising force. She barely sidestepped in time, feeling the rush of air as the club missed her by inches. She retaliated with a quick swipe of her scythe, the blade catching the goblin across the neck. It gurgled, clutching at the wound before collapsing to the ground.

Quinella was facing two goblins at once, her sword flashing in the dim light as she deflected their attacks. One goblin managed to graze her arm with a rusty dagger, but she retaliated swiftly, slicing through both of her opponents with a well-timed strike. She grinned, her eyes gleaming with determination. "Not so tough now, are you?"

Just as the last goblin in the initial wave fell, a new group emerged, these ones slightly larger and carrying worn shields made of twisted metal and wood. They looked more organized, with a cunning gleam in their eyes that suggested they wouldn't fall as easily.

"These must be the tougher ones," Strawberry murmured, wiping sweat from her brow. She glanced at Quinella, nodding toward the approaching goblins. "Ready?"

Quinella smirked, raising her sword. "Always."

The goblins advanced, their shields raised as they closed the gap. One lunged forward, jabbing a spear at Strawberry, who parried with her scythe, deflecting the blow before sweeping the blade upward, slicing through the goblin's shield and into its torso.

Quinella sidestepped a goblin's swing, bringing her sword down on its shield arm. The shield splintered, and she followed up with a swift stab to its heart, the goblin collapsing with a pained grunt.

Another goblin managed to close in, raising its jagged dagger to strike at Muffin, who squeaked in alarm, ducking further into Strawberry's hood. Seeing her tiny companion in danger, Strawberry's expression darkened. She spun her scythe in a deadly arc, slicing through the goblin's arm and sending it stumbling back.

Strawberry's expression darkened, her gaze fixed on the goblin with a chilling intensity. "Don't even think about it," she growled, her voice low and dangerous. She shifted her stance, her scythe at the ready. But this time, she reached up with her free hand, fingers brushing the metal band at her wrist. With a flick of her wrist, fine, razor-sharp wires shot out, glinting in the dim blue light of the crystals embedded in the tunnel walls.

The goblin faltered, its eyes widening as it watched the wires unfurl. Strawberry smirked, her fingers dancing as she manipulated the wires with ease, weaving them into a deadly pattern around her hand. She flicked her wrist, sending the wires slashing through the air, slicing cleanly through the goblin's arm before it had a chance to react.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] Goblin HP -30 Goblin Staggered

The goblin stumbled back, clutching its bleeding arm, its dagger clattering to the floor. It let out a shriek, its red eyes darting between the fallen weapon and the menacing wires now poised for another strike.

The other goblins, seeing their ally falter, hesitated for a brief moment. But one of the larger goblins, brandishing a rusty spear, snarled and charged forward, determined to avenge its fallen comrade.

"Alright, let's see how you like this," Strawberry muttered, extending her fingers with practiced ease. She whipped her wrist forward, and the wires shot out in a crisscrossing arc, slicing across the charging goblin's legs and tripping it mid-sprint. It fell face-first to the ground, skidding forward with a pained grunt.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] Goblin HP -20 Goblin Immobilized

Strawberry moved in swiftly, tightening the wires around her fingers as she maneuvered them over the immobilized goblin. With a flick of her wrist, she pulled the wires taut, slicing across the goblin's torso in a deadly, efficient strike.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] Critical Hit! Goblin Defeated! +20 EXP

Another goblin attempted to rush her from behind, but Strawberry, sensing the movement, turned and flung her wires out in a sweeping motion. The wires wrapped around the goblin's neck, and with a quick tug, she pulled it forward, destabilizing it long enough to finish it off with a clean sweep of her scythe.

Quinella, watching with admiration as Strawberry wielded her scythe and wires in tandem, took down a goblin that tried to flank her, grinning as she struck it down. "Impressive," she called, striking through her opponent. "You're making these look like practice dummies."

Strawberry shrugged, a satisfied smirk on her face as she whipped the wires back into place around her wrist. "Wires are a great weapon for monsters like these," she said, readying herself as the last goblin charged. With a swift flick of her wrist, she sent her wires forward, binding the creature's legs and tripping it to the ground.

Without missing a beat, Strawberry brought her scythe down in a powerful swing, finishing the final goblin.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] +250 EXP +75 Col Item Drop: Goblin Fang (x2), Goblin Bone Dagger (x1)

A faint green glow washed over her as a leveling notification appeared before her.

[LEVEL UP!] Strawberry has reached Level 33!

HP +30STR +5

New Skill Unlocked: Wire Grapple

(Allows user to tether to nearby surfaces or opponents using wires, enhancing speed and evasive movement.)

Quinella received her own notification, her level icon flashing briefly.

[LEVEL UP!] Quinella has reached Level 28!

HP +35AGI +4

New Ability: Shield Break

(Ignores opponent's armor on critical strikes, increasing damage output for shielded or armored enemies.)

They exchanged a grin, each one feeling the thrill of their new power boost. Strawberry flexed her fingers, feeling the wires around her wrist with renewed confidence. 

Oh, how I missed these. They work great with my scythe, too. 

Looking back at Quinella, she thought that a sword like what she was using didn't fit her play style. Not really. 

And it clashes with my play style. We can't have two melee fighters in the group. Hmm, what to do?