The bunny kid who wants to become the strongestt

Coriaria's body twisted and morphed as vines stitched his wounds back together.

He cracked his neck. "Okay. Enough with the plant puns, rabbit. This time—you're not hitting me."

Eleo wiped ink from his lip, ears twitching. "Heh… we'll see about that!"

Before he could blink, Coriaria was already in front of him.

A punch to the stomach folded Eleo in half.

Coriaria grabbed Eleo by the ear, spun him like a ragdoll, and drove a knee into his spine.

Eleo was launched like a skipping stone through the air before stopping himself mid-slide, panting, ink dripping off him.

Coriaria strolled toward him, arrogant. "I hope you've got a new pattern, little freak. 'Cause once I see it, I can counter it. Doesn't matter how fast, strong, or stubborn you are."

Eleo's fists trembled as his mind buzzed.

This is bad… I did everything I could. I hit him with everything—and nothing's working.

I can't beat him... I need…

"…Fire."

Meanwhile, hidden in a thick bush—

Kenji crouched low. "We have to help Eleo."

"Uhh, Mr. Blue Hair?" Timmy squeaked.

Kenji replied flatly, "It's Kenji."

"Right, right. Sorry. But Kenji—you can't beat that guy unless you use fire! I'm looking for a fire seed!"

Olorun raised a brow. "Wait. There's fire seeds?"

Timmy nodded excitedly. "Yup! They're super rare! They look like a normal seed but they're red and orange—like tiny fireballs!"

Tony lounged casually. "You mean that one?" He pointed behind a nearby rock.

Timmy's eyes lit up. "OH! Tony grab it!!"

He lunged for it—accidentally toppling onto Olorun's head.

Olorun grunted. "Wait, are we throwing this at that leaf bastard?"

"Yep!" Timmy chirped.

Kenji nodded. "Then let's move."

Coriaria drove a spinning kick into Eleo's jaw, snapping his head sideways. He yanked Eleo by the leg and began slamming him left and right, vines flailing around them like whips.

Eleo was hurled into the air.

Coriaria's right arm stretched like a whip, latching onto Eleo's neck and yanking him back down toward him.

He squeezed Eleo's throat, raising him off the ground.

Eleo coughed, legs kicking helplessly. He swung a punch at Coriaria's face—

Nothing.

Coriaria sneered. "Foolish boy. Did you really think you could beat me?"

Back in the battlefield—

Coriaria drove a spinning kick into Eleo's jaw, snapping his head sideways. He yanked Eleo by the leg and began slamming him left and right, vines flailing around them like whips.

Eleo was hurled into the air.

Coriaria's right arm stretched like a whip, latching onto Eleo's neck and yanking him back down toward him.

He squeezed Eleo's throat, raising him off the ground.

Eleo coughed, legs kicking helplessly. He swung a punch at Coriaria's face—

Nothing.

Coriaria sneered. "Foolish boy. Did you really think you could beat me?"

Back in the bush:

Kenji was crouched, blade drawn. "Tony. Now."

Tony spun the seed in his fingers like a coin. "Mmm. This thing's warm… but yeah, uh… I've never really been a throwing guy."

Olorun slapped his face. "Give it here!"

Tony tossed it, but as soon as Olorun caught it—

"AAAH HOT HOT HOT—!"

He juggled it like a hot potato.

Tony snatched it back. "Damn! That thing burned through my gloves!"

Timmy shouted, "Tony PLEASE! He's dying out there!!"

Tony groaned. "Okay, okay, fine!"

He aimed carefully, head tilted slightly.

Olorun yelled, "JUST THROW IT, SPOOKING TONY!!!"

Tony hurled it like a baseball.

The glowing red-orange seed spiraled through the air—straight into Coriaria's chest.

"Wha—?"

Suddenly, a pillar of flames exploded from within Coriaria's body.

"AAAAAAGHHHHH!!" he screamed, vines shriveling, petals igniting. His grip on Eleo loosened and Eleo dropped to the ground coughing, barely conscious.

Tony shouted, "GET HIM!!!"

Kenji moved first—a blur of steel.

His katana slashed clean across Coriaria's flaming shoulder. "You underestimated us."

Olorun rushed in next—two pinky fingers pointed like blades.

"FINGER KNIFE!!"

He spun, flipping over a burning vine and stabbed straight into Coriaria's chest.

Tony leapt in last, grinning wide. "Let me show you my favorite art—violence!"

He entered a chaotic flurry of Wing Chun, his bony fingers jabbing, snapping, and pummeling the burning plant man with relentless precision.

Coriaria's screams echoed as his leaf body burned completely, crumbling into blackened ash.

And in the center—

A single, smoldering flower dropped from the remains, landing gently on the ground.

Timmy jumped up on Olorun's shoulders, cheering. "YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT!!!"

Kenji sheathed his blade. "It's over."

Olorun grinned and flexed. "Team Fire Seed, baby."

Tony collapsed on a rock, fanning himself. "Mmm… I love the smell of burnt vegetables."

Eleo weakly sat up, holding his neck.

He raised a thumbs up, still smiling like an idiot.

"Thanks, guys…"

Timmy clutched his little fists and looked up at the group. "Okay guys, now let's head into town!"

Eleo was lying flat on his back, eyes barely open. "Can we rest for a while...?"

Olorun plopped down next to him, sweat dripping from his forehead. "Yeah, same here. My legs are still on fire from that sprint…"

Timmy stomped his foot with surprising force. "No, no! We have to save Silvan Island! Please—I'm begging you guys. From the bottom of my heart."

The group paused.

Kenji crossed his arms, watching Timmy silently. Olorun scratched his head. Tony blew a dramatic sigh. Even Eleo, bruised and ink-streaked, tilted his ears down and sighed.

Then, slowly—Eleo got up.

"Alright, Timmy," he said with a half-smile. "We'll help you save Silvan Island."

Timmy's eyes lit up. "R-really?!"

Olorun stood, stretching with a grunt. "Okay, okay, lead the way, little guy."

Timmy grinned wide. "You got it!"

The sun dipped low as they journeyed, golden light spilling across the forest like honey. The jungle breathed around them—giant pollen-dusted ferns, silvergrass rippling under foot, vines that moved ever so slightly, like they were listening.

Glowing waterfalls flowed sideways across gravity-defying stones. Wind spirits whispered through floating lanterns. Birds the size of horses wheeled overhead.

Tony kept gawking. "Okay, okay—someone paint me this whole scene and mail it to my funeral."

Eleo jogged beside Timmy. "So like… what was the town like before all this? Peaceful? Or was it always kinda spooky?"

Timmy chuckled sadly. "It used to be quiet. Peaceful, yeah. Kids played in the treetop plazas, elders told stories by mushroomlight. But ever since the corruption spread… everyone's been acting weird. The trees too."

Olorun eyed the twisting canopy. "Trees acting weird, huh? You mean like talking? Moving?"

Timmy nodded slowly. "Both."

Kenji, walking ahead, added without turning, "Be ready. This is enemy territory now."

As they crossed a moss-covered rope bridge, the air shifted.

Timmy stopped. "We're here…"

But before they could take another step—

THOOM!

Three towering figures dropped from the trees, blocking the path.

Clad in living bark armor and moss-draped cloaks, each one stood at least eight feet tall. Their weapons were grown from twisted roots, curved like blades, pulsing faintly with green light.

Their leader stepped forward, helm carved from a hollowed-out log. He slammed his foot down, shaking the bridge.

"Halt! Who dares approach Verdant Town without passage?"

Timmy gasped. "The Tree Knights…"

Eleo tilted his head. "Man, y'all got a real forest aesthetic going on."

Tony leaned to Olorun. "You think they moisturize or…?"

Kenji stepped forward, his hand already on his sword. "We're not here to fight. We came to speak with the town elder. We're here to help."

The lead knight raised his weapon. "No outsiders may enter. The forest is on lockdown."

Timmy rushed forward. "Please! I'm not a stranger to this island! My name is Timmy Mallow—I came from Minari Island. My father… Merrin Mallow… he came here searching for our missing people. But he never returned. I think something happened to him before he even reached town."

The knights stirred.

One of them muttered, "I remember hearing that name… a Minari chief who crossed through the outer woods."

The leader's eyes narrowed. "Your father never arrived. There were signs someone came through the Silverroot path weeks ago, but… it was torn apart. Overrun by the black blight. We assumed they didn't survive."

Timmy's voice cracked. "No..."

The knight lowered his blade, face grim. "We searched. Found broken branches… torn cloth. Nothing more. I'm sorry, child."

A beat of silence passed. The weight of it hung heavy.

Then the knight turned and stepped aside. "You may pass. But be warned—Verdant Town is not what it once was. Whatever has taken root here… it's spreading faster than we can contain it."

The Tree Knights stepped aside, their heavy armor creaking as they let the group pass. The path ahead opened into the town's outskirts—once vibrant, now dim under the weight of creeping vines and shadow.

But Timmy didn't move.

He just stood there, small and still, eyes locked on the broken path ahead. His tiny fists trembled at his sides.

Tony glanced back, then stepped closer and crouched. "Hey, Timmy… I'm pretty sure your dad and your people are still out there. If anyone could survive this jungle, it's a Chief, right?"

Kenji nodded, arms crossed. "Yeah. A man like that wouldn't go down so easy. Especially not before seeing you again."

Timmy's lip quivered. His voice came out soft. "Y-yeah… yeah. You're right. I'll believe in him."

He blinked hard, wiped his face, then gave a tiny nod and hopped up onto Tony's head, finding his usual spot between the skeleton's horns.

Tony grinned. "That's more like it."

The five of them stepped forward into the strange and haunted remains of Verdant Town.