However, there was still some problem, which was how Raizen could make use of this vine as a weapon.
The monster bird had to use it at the right moment.
Wait a minute, we could lure the Muscle rats here with mountain seeds!
Rheo's eyes sparkled, this was indeed a wide clearing with no rocks, boulders, or tunnel, the perfect place for plans A and B.
Plan A was to lure a Muscle rat here and tame it with mountain seeds, they were non-aggressive species unless provoked.
In Plan B, that was if Plan A failed, the thunderbird would snatch the rat monster up and release powerful lightning into its body after using Lightning Dive and landing on the vines.
Even though it was a higher-grade monster, its body's insulating properties would still break down when subjected to almost a billion electric volts.
Rheo's eyes widen, Raizen would be releasing an electric power on par with that of commander-grade electric-type monsters.
What a good trick.
A smile curled up the corner of his lips.
'Raizen, let's go'
As we left the clearing, it wasn't long before we reached the entrance of another large clearing.
This clearing was filled with small rocks and boulders smeared in thick earth, tunnels were dug in random places.
This was indeed the territory of Muscle rat species.
[Monster: Muscle Rat]
[Level: 6]
[Grade: Wild (Tier-5)]
[Type: Earth]
[Stats: STR 75 | AGI 5 | END 44 | INT 2]
Skills
[TerritoryQuake: Gnash the teeth with great bite force such that the surrounding earth rumbles, can disorientate the enemy for five seconds]
[Zero potential: conduct electricity directly to the Earth without receiving any damage]
[Reverse Zero: (locked) (Lv.30+)]
Huh... Pretty impressive
Raizen, come down
Seeing many Muscle rats scurrying around the area, Rheo quickly calls the bird down.
They couldn't risk getting exposed, the plan was to lure one of the rat monsters to the first clearing.
As they blended into the thick woods, watching from the shadows, he saw the monsters were scurrying about.
The rat monsters were cloaked in light-grey, thick fur that covered their rippling muscles, their wide red, fiery eyes gleaming with menace.
Long white incisors stretched down to their chins, and their tails, bushy like a squirrel's, marked them as a particularly feral breed of rodent monsters.
Some of them went deep into the woods while some entered the tunnels.
As the others came out of the woods, these monsters were carrying something that looked like a nut.
The brown nut was as big as an ostrich egg!
Rheo witnessed something that made a bead of cold sweat run down my cheek.
One of the Muscle rats just used one hand to push aside a big boulder as if it were a balloon.
After sliding it aside a little bit, it appeared that there was a tunnel dug beneath it.
The rat monsters carrying nuts then jumped inside the tunnel as if it were their HQ.
Their storage room?
Then another came out, shutting the hole with the boulder once again, without breaking a sweat.
He swallowed a huge lump of saliva.
All Rheo was waiting for was a chance for it to remain only one Muscle rat.
After a long time of waiting, all the rats suddenly disappeared into the hole, leaving only one outside.
This one slid the boulder over the hole, then stood sentinel beside it.
The gatekeeper?
A notification slid into his mind.
[Monster: Muscle Rat]
[Fiery-tooth tribe]
[Rank: knight guard]
[L.v: 10]
[Exp: 4500/40000]
So they have a tribe.
Well, I think it is time
He smiled brightly and took out a black seed from his pocket.
Raizen looked at the seed with contempt, Compared to Muscle rats that have unparalleled biting power, there was no way the bird could eat such a thing.
Even if it could swallow it, it wouldn't be able to digest it.
So, as a nutritional seed from a plant monster, it wasn't useful for the bird.
With a precise launch, Rheo threw the black seed up into the air.
The black seed followed a parabolic path before landing at the feet of the Muscle rat.
The monster's nose twitched lightly, picking up the distinct aroma of its species' favorite food.
Its sense of sight rolled down, its gaze landing on the bait.
Suddenly, it made an irritating strange noise that scraped the air.
What!! Did it want to alert the others?
Rheo brain rang.
But the rat jumped in fright and covered its mouth quickly, it was so overjoyed that it didn't know when the sound slipped out from its mouth.
It scratched the hair tuft on its head and smiled embarrassingly. Then it looked at the black seed, clearly suspicious of where it had come from.
Suspicion? Where is the muscle brain!!
Rheo almost grew frustrated from the shadows he was watching from.
The rat looked left and right in wariness, and then it took the black seed and started gnawing and munching away at it, its fiery red eyes sparkled with delight, happiness fully etched in its features.
It looked...almost cute.
Rheo rubbed his palms together, the temptation was too much for it to resist.
And this one seemed tameable, it get swayed so easily or was it because this was one of the basic taming steps?
It was just too effective.
With just a small carton of mountain seeds, the youth could sway its mind anyhow he wanted.
Let see if another seed is enough for it to leave its post.
Rheo brought out another black seed, this one was a bigger variant and had a stronger aroma.
He threw it at a small distance from where it stood, just about a few feet.
Seeing the big black Mountain Seed, a happy grin appeared on the monster rat's face.
Its nose twitched lightly and with every inhaled aroma, its expression brightened.
Got it! I just have to keep luring it here, I will put a heap of black seed beside me just before it reaches here.
A loud rumbling sound disrupt the happy moment of Rheo and the rat which was about to pick up the black seed!
A Muscle rat came out, it had a fiery red hair tuft and its face twisted with a crooked expression.
The first Muscle rat took the black seed and showed the second one.
This rat monster looked at it with its crooked expression, not a little bit impressed.
Who is this one, is it rankless or just a citizen?
He wondered since the system refused to bring out its information.
Rheo witnessed what was surprising, this rat monster took the black seed from the first rat's hand and threw it into the tunnel.
What is it doing?
The first rat immediately jumped into the tunnel to find its treasure.
A crooked grin appeared on the rat monster's face as it slid the boulder back into the tunnel, sealing the entrance.
Then with a smug expression, it began approaching where Rheo was hiding.
What the heck is wrong with it, Raizen, we gotta leave.
Rheo called Raizen into his soul void and then started slipping away backward.
Damn it, Raizen it seemed plan A has failed, are you ready for plan B
The bird screeched happily in response.
Good, let's get back to the first clearing.
After reaching the first wide clearing, Rheo thanked his stars that Muscle rats had no speed.
As he jumped over a thick vine, a sudden squeak echoed behind him, making his hair stand on end!
Cold ran down his spine as he turned to see the Crooked face of Muscle rat, its nose was twitching madly, tracking the scent of the mountain seed, it had traced him with its sense of smell.
Rheo summoned enough courage and took a wary stance.
After calling out Raizen, the bird started hovering right beside him, waiting for his signal.
The Muscle rat looked around, clearly searching for something.
This place is rocks and boulder-free, I have you where I want you.
An irritating sound escaped the rat's mouth, its features fully etched with arrogant expression.
At once, it jumped and pounced on the ground, and within a blink of an eye, it had dug and disappeared into a tunnel.
Rheo was stunned, this monster was obviously escaping right under his very nose.
But then, like a shower of sand, there was a huge spray of the earth.
The Muscle Rat burst out of the ground, shoving a massive boulder ahead of it! Its furry body was smeared in thick clumps of earth.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations! You Have Unlocked A Side Quest]