The Bunny Kid Who Wants To Become The Strongest

The torches along the Smokeline had burned low by the time someone dragged the television up onto the Table.

It arrived on a wooden cart, pushed by two boys who nearly dropped it twice. Farmers, children, blacksmiths, and guards gathered around as Elder Hagan settled onto an upturned crate.

"Turn it up, lad."

The boy twisted the knob.

The picture stuttered. Snow, darkness, more snow. Then the screen cracked open.

Then he appeared.

Tall. Completely still. A top hat throwing a shadow across half his face, a coat moving softly despite the absence of wind. He held a cane loosely as his gaze found the camera.

"Hello, hello there, viewers~"

Nobody moved.

"I have hacked everyone's TVs." A beat. "And I mean... everyone's."

Even on an island three days from the nearest mainland port, those words landed.

"You're probably wondering who I am."

He twirled his cane.

"I am the strongest man alive."

Silence.

"And I want to be beaten."

Murmurs broke through the crowd.

The man leaned forward.

"It has been, what, a month since the Supreme Council officially recognized me as the strongest?"

He paused.

"And let me tell you."

A grin spread across his face.

"It has been boring."

Nervous laughter scattered through the crowd.

"I won't reveal myself. I won't say where I am. But here is all you need to know."

He looked directly into the lens.

"Whoever defeats me, kills me, or makes me surrender will be rewarded."

He raised one gloved finger.

"One trillion gold. The finest sky ship in existence. Mythical weapons. Magic scrolls containing spells that died with their last users."

His grin widened.

"And best of all, the power to carve your own domain from this world."

Silence.

Then chaos.

"Is this a trick?!"

"He's mad!"

But some people stood perfectly still.

The ambitious ones.

The hungry ones.

"Invitations have been sent across all worlds. Know this, if you accept: the Supreme Council will come for you."

He chuckled.

"But that's fine, isn't it?"

He tipped his hat.

"I wish you all luck."

The screen went black.

A moment later, someone down the Smokeline roared:

"A TRILLION GOLD?! A SKY SHIP?! I'M IN!"

The settlement erupted.

---

In a small stilt-house at the Smokeline's quiet end, the television had gone dark.

Half-eaten bowls sat on the table. A single candle burned low.

On the floor sat Eleo.

Eight years old, white-furred, big-eared, and completely captivated by what he'd just seen.

In his lap was a crumpled sheet of paper covered in badly drawn stick figures, each labeled:

ME

STRONGEST GUY

And at the bottom, in the largest handwriting he could manage:

I WIN.

Beside him sat Grandpa Gou.

"GRANDPA GOU."

Gou opened one eye.

"I WANNA BE THE STRONGEST."

The eye closed.

"Boy."

"I'm serious! Did you hear what that man said?! Whoever beats him—"

"Gets hunted by the Supreme Council." Gou's voice was flat. "And killed."

Eleo blinked.

"PFFT. I'll just beat them too."

Gou's rocking chair stopped.

"You can't just beat the Supreme Council."

"So? I'll train harder."

"They have thousands of members."

"I'll train way harder."

Gou stared at him.

"Do you have any idea how strong the weakest member of that council is?"

Eleo tilted his head.

"...Stronger than me right now?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so I'll just kick his ass"

WHAM.

Gou's fist crashed into his face.

Eleo flew backward into the couch.

"...What was that for?"

"Language."

Eleo sat up.

WHAM.

This time, Eleo moved. Both feet slammed into Gou's face, and the old man's chair tipped backward.

Gou wiped his nose.

Then he grinned.

"Heh. You made me bleed."

Eleo beamed.

"YEAH! I BEEN TRAINING WITH MASTER KUMA!"

Gou sighed.

"Not a single working brain cell."

Eleo gasped.

"WAIT. I HAVE A BRAIN?!"

Gou closed his eyes.

He stood.

"Alright. I'm leaving tomorrow."

Eleo's ears dropped.

"Already?"

"You've got Abby, haven't you?"

"Abby's no fun. She always tells me not to punch stuff."

"Good."

Gou headed toward his room.

"Get some sleep. Big ideas need rest."

WHAM.

He punched Eleo into his pillow and tucked the blanket around him.

"Whyyy?"

"Told you to sleep."

---

Morning came.

Gou was already at the table with his travel bag when Eleo entered the kitchen, his shirt on backward.

"Sit down. Eat first."

Eleo quickly finished his carrot-flat pancakes.

"You're really going?"

"Said I was."

Gou put a hand on his grandson's head.

"Keep that dumb smile of yours, alright?"

Eleo grinned.

"OKAY!"

Gou walked out.

Eleo sat quietly for a moment.

Then his brain caught up.

"OH, MASTER KUMA!"

He was out the door at a sprint.

---

The Iron Fang sat at the rowdier end of the Smokeline.

Eleo burst through the door.

"MASTER KUMA!"

At the biggest table sat Master Kuma, an enormous bear in a kung fu gi, with Abby beside him.

Kuma looked up.

"Did you hear?! The broadcast! The strongest man! Did you—"

"Yep."

Eleo grinned.

"THEN YOU KNOW I'M GONNA BE THE STRONGEST!"

Kuma set down his mug.

"Boy, you ain't ready."

Abby nodded.

"He's right, Eleo. You'd have to be extremely strong."

Eleo puffed out his chest.

"I am strong! Stronger than you! All you do is sing."

The bar went quiet.

Abby's eye twitched.

Her hand shot out and grabbed Eleo's ear.

"YOU WANNA SAY THAT AGAIN?!"

"OW! OW! OW!! ABBY, STOP!"

"Abby," Kuma said. "No hurting Eleo."

"I'm not hurting him. I'm disciplining him!"

Kuma took a sip.

"Mhm."

Eventually, Abby let go.

Kuma looked at Eleo.

"You really think you can be the strongest?"

Eleo's grin disappeared.

"No."

Kuma raised an eyebrow.

"I know I can."

Kuma smiled.

"Then let's see."

He stood.

"Training. Now. Green Break."

Abby sighed.

"Here we go."

---

The dojo clearing sat deep in the Green Break.

Kuma stood at its center.

Eleo bounced on his feet.

"Alright, Master! Let's—"

"You're more impatient than a starving wolf at a feast."

"Yeah, yeah. BEGIN!"

Eleo charged.

His fist connected with Kuma's chest.

Boop.

Eleo stared at his hand.

Kuma stared at him.

"...That was it?"

"Ow. Dang. You're solid."

Kuma moved.

BAM.

Eleo barely dodged.

He stared.

For something that large, Kuma had moved like a thought.

"So," Eleo said carefully, "you're actually kind of strong."

"EVERYONE KNEW THAT, ELEO!" Abby shouted.

Kuma smiled.

"Let's see if you can dodge the next one."

"Oh, crap—"

Whoosh.

Kuma vanished.

BAM.

Eleo hit the dirt.

The crowd laughed.

Eleo stood back up.

"HEY! What kind of teacher hits their student?!"

"The kind that teaches lessons."

Kuma attacked again.

Eleo lunged.

Left. Right. Left. Right.

Every punch missed.

Finally, Kuma backhanded him ten feet into a fern bank.

Eleo lay there covered in leaves.

"Eleo. Are you alive?" Abby asked.

"Yep."

He stood.

Kuma approached.

"You done, boy?"

Eleo breathed slowly.

Then he grinned.

"Not even close."

Kuma went still.

Eleo wiped dirt from his cheek.

"You're stronger, faster, and better than me at everything. I know that."

He squared up.

"But I refuse to stay weak."

Silence.

Then Kuma laughed.

"Good answer, boy."

He put a paw on Eleo's head.

"You lost. But you ain't broken. That matters more than the losing."

Eleo's eyes widened.

"Does that mean—?!"

"I'll keep training you."

Eleo pumped both fists into the air.

"YEAH!!"

---

The days that followed had a rhythm.

Dawn: Eleo ran laps through the Green Break.

Morning: Kuma trained him.

Afternoon: Abby dragged him around the Carrot Flats.

Evening: all three ate at The Iron Fang.

Eleo got faster.

His punches stopped making the boop sound.

He still couldn't hit Kuma.

But he kept getting up.

By the fifth day, Eleo lay face-down in the dojo clearing, completely exhausted.

"Alright, boy."

Eleo opened one eye.

"Y-Yeah?"

"I'm leaving soon."

Eleo shot upright.

"WHAT?!"

"Dangerous business. Can't stay forever."

Kuma reached into his coat.

Something glowed.

Dark blue. Swirling with ink-like patterns.

"What's that?!"

"S-Orb. Soul Orb. Take it."

Eleo snatched it.

Licked it.

Kuma stared.

"...Boy. What are you doing."

Eleo recoiled.

"ACK! It tastes like a sweaty rock!"

"You're supposed to absorb it. Not eat it."

"Oh."

Eleo held the orb between his palms.

The glow sank into his skin.

Then—

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

Eleo hit the ground rolling.

Abby arrived at the clearing just in time to see him screaming.

"What did you do to him?!"

"Gave him an S-Orb."

"WITHOUT WARNING HIM?!"

Kuma tilted his head.

"...Nope."

Eleo finally stopped twitching.

"I think I saw my ancestors."

Kuma crouched beside him.

"That orb won't make you strong. Not now. But someday, it'll matter."

Eleo stared at him.

"So I'm still weak?!"

Kuma stood.

"No."

He started walking.

"You've got potential."

Eleo stared after him.

"...What does that mean?"

Kuma didn't answer.

---

The sky ship floated above the Smokeline's dock.

Kuma stood at its base with his travel bag over one shoulder.

Eleo's ears drooped.

"You really gotta go?"

"Yeah. But I'll be back."

Eleo forced a grin.

"Better be. By then, I'm gonna be the strongest. I won't lose next time."

"Looking forward to it."

Kuma looked at Abby.

"Watch over him."

Abby sighed.

"I know."

Kuma walked up the ramp.

Eleo waved both arms.

"BYE, KUMA!!"

"Come back in one piece!" Abby called.

The ship lifted into the sky.

They watched until it disappeared into the clouds.

Eleo stood still.

Then collapsed.

"ELEO?!"

He groaned.

"...That orb still hurts."

Abby stared at him.

"You're hopeless."

Eleo looked up at the sky.

His hand found the folded paper in his pocket.

I WIN.

"Yeah."

He grinned.

"But I'm gonna be the strongest anyway."

Abby didn't argue.