Chapter 4 - Whitey

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Name: Black Fur Rabbit (Mutated) | Realm: Apprentice | Level: 4 Bloodline: Common | Mutation: Mystic | Elemental Affinity: Darkness, Mysticism | Talent Rating: 9/10 | Tamer: Edward O'Brien Junior ( Primordial Bond)

Physical Attributes: Dexterity: 3 | Strength: 2 | Agility: 5 | Endurance: 2 | Mental Attributes: Intelligence: 8 | Awareness: 6 | Spiritual Power: 7 | Spiritual Energy: 6

Evolution: Dark Fur Rabbit ( High-Grade Common Bloodline), Nether Rabbit (Mid-Grade Uncommon Bloodline)

Hidden Evolutions: There exists one potential path of evolution that has been concealed or lost.

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Edward felt frozen as he stared at the white-eyed rabbit, amazed by the sudden level-up in battle. But, he didn't expect to have tamed the rabbit too. "Did I tame you while helping you?" he wondered, but he knew that the taming process was more complicated than that. He also knew that he had never reached the beast tamer level. Nonetheless, he was pleased to have the cute rabbit as his first pet as they seemed to have been fated together.

Edward stood before the white-eyed rabbit, his body frozen in awe at the creature's newfound strength. He hadn't expected to have tamed the rabbit during their battle. "When did I tame you?" he asked, perplexed. He knew that the taming process was far more complicated than simply helping the creature. Moreover, he had never even achieved the level of a beast tamer. Nevertheless, he was happy to have such a cute rabbit as his first pet.

"So be it," he said, scratching the rabbit's head. "You're kind of weak, but having a cute rabbit as your first pet isn't that bad."

"Me not weak... stopped the snake," the rabbit replied, its voice carrying a hint of anger as it bit Edward's chest.

Edward couldn't help but laugh. "You are very strong indeed. Now that you are my pet, what should I call you?" he pondered, continuing to pet the rabbit's head.

"Name?" the rabbit asked, its eyes shining with excitement as it looked up at Edward.

"Bugs Bunny? No, I don't want to infringe on Warner's copyright. Maybe just Bunny? Nah, that's too common," Edward said, scratching his head. Suddenly, he had an idea. "That's it! Whitey! Your siblings all have dark eyes, but you are unique."

"Whi...they?" the rabbit asked, momentarily confused. It then locked eyes with Edward. "Whitey..."

After giving Whitey its name, Edward made his way back to his house, heart heavy with concern for Whitey's sibling. As each second ticked by, the creature's condition was worsening by the moment.

Upon reaching the farm, Edward gently placed Whitey and his sibling down before dashing inside with the injured rabbit. Though he had studied Biology with the goal of becoming an Evolutionary Biologist, his internship at the zoo had given him quite a good amount of experience with animal care.

"It can't be that difficult, can it?" he muttered to himself as he swiftly gathered the necessary supplies for treating the rabbit's wounds: a clean towel, sharp scissors, a needle, and a roll of thread. Remembering a veterinarian's demonstration of suturing, he hoped to replicate the process as best he could.

Edward set to work, starting by lighting the old wood stove and filling two pots with water. Though he lacked the specialized thread typically used in sutures, he hoped that sterilizing a common thread would suffice.

He then carefully trimmed the fur around the wound, causing the rabbit to cry out in pain. Edward winced, doing his utmost to minimize the rabbit's discomfort. But the wound was deep, and the little creature was suffering greatly.

"I'm sorry, my friend," he murmured, "but you must endure this for just a bit longer." He peered at the wound, dismayed to see that the wolf had not only savaged the rabbit's legs but had also punctured its abdomen.

"This is going to be more complicated than I thought," he muttered, frowning as he examined the left hind leg, riddled with teeth marks.

He took out the towel that was inside one of the boiling pots and began to gently clean the rabbit's injuries. As he'd anticipated, the little creature cried out in agony, writhing and attempting to flee. But Edward was prepared for this and held on tight.

"Please bear with me," he murmured as he worked. He spotted black spots on the rabbit's leg and scowled. "I hope the hot towel can deal with the infection." Though he knew that only time could fully heal the rabbit's wounds, he hoped that the hot water would at least prevent the infection from worsening.

After gently cleaning the wound, Edward picked up the needle and thread and began to stitch up the rabbit's injury. To his relief, the rabbit seemed to have dulled its pain and barely reacted as he worked. The process took about forty-five minutes, and as he finished, he carefully wrapped the injured rabbit in a warm blanket.

"I think this should be enough to stop the bleeding," Edward said, examining his work. While he wasn't entirely satisfied with the sutures, the bleeding had mostly stopped. "I've done all that I can, little fellow. It's up to you now." Edward wiped the sweat from his brow and carefully picked up the rabbit, intending to take it to its siblings.

As he stepped outside, he was surprised to see that all the rabbits were waiting patiently by the door, their expressions looking concerned. "Don't worry, guys. He's going to be okay," Edward reassured them. He gently lowered the rabbit to the ground and cautioned the others to be careful around him. He sat down and watched as the other rabbits swarmed around their injured companion.

The past few hours had been a blur of adrenaline and fear, but now Edward could finally process everything that had happened. He was particularly interested in the memories of the body's previous owner.

The body belonged to Edward O'Brien Junior, an eighteen-year-old who had spent most of his life on this isolated farm. His parents, Edward O'Brien, and Mariele O'Brien, had been renowned Monster Tamers and had discovered two pets with a Legendary Bloodline during an exploration of an ancient ruin.

The Ancient Ruins, once a blessing, had quickly turned into a nightmare for those who sought its treasures. The allure of a Monster with a Legendary bloodline proved too irresistible for many, and soon enough, the explorers began hunting each other down.

Edward's parents were no exception. They fought bravely and secured the two legendary pets, before managing to escape with a stroke of luck. However, their respite was short-lived as a powerful and influential clan member continued to pursue and hunt them. This put a great strain on Edward's father, who suffered from the same body condition as Edward.

For two years, they lived in fear and hardship until they decided to confront the man in battle. The confrontation lasted two grueling days, and unfortunately, Edward's parents were defeated, barely escaping with the sacrifice of the two legendary pets that they had found.

But, the battle was not without consequences for the bigshot. Edward's parents had managed to take down most of his underlings and four of his five pets.

Edward couldn't help but shake his head at the tragic story of his parents. It had all the makings of a great main character's backstory. He felt an odd sense of emotion as he pieced together the memories of the original body owner's parents. He wondered if it was due to the lingering emotions of the previous owner or the dramatic story itself.

"They sure were strong," Edward thought as he imagined the grandiose last stand of his parents. "It's no wonder they chose to live in such isolation," he concluded as he discovered yet another piece of valuable information from the memories.

Edward's parents had experienced unimaginable trauma and had forbidden him from cultivating and becoming a Monster Tamer. They saw the world of tamers as harsh and unforgiving, and they wanted to protect their son from the same pain.

But Edward was a curious young man, and one day he discovered a hidden cache of cultivation books left by his parents. Secretly, he began to study and practice, drawn to the allure of the Monster Taming world.

As he delved deeper into the forbidden knowledge, Edward felt an unquenchable desire to explore this strange and wondrous realm, even if it meant defying his parents. Lost in thought, he was interrupted by his loyal companion, Whitey, who snuggled against his legs.

Edward paused to stroke the rabbit's fur, glancing up to see two full moons in the sky. "What an unusual world," he mused, although he had seen much stranger things already.

After playing with Whitey for a few minutes, he went back inside the wooden cabin, he would be living in this place for a while, so he needed to get used to it.