The Root Bear was oblivious to Nightclown's hidden, miniaturized form. It continued its slow, deliberate sweep of the area. Its glowing amber eyes moved like searchlights. Slicing through the undergrowth.
Nightclown took a deep, concentrated breath. Soundlessly. He could feel the faint tremor of the bear's immense weight shifting. He could almost taste the damp, earthy scent emanating from its moss-covered hide.
This was a monster that relied on brute force and territorial intimidation. Not cunning. He didn't rush. Haste was the enemy of stealth. He moved in a wide arc. Keeping the dense ferns bamboo roots between himself and the bear.
Cammy, the [Toon Camera Recorder], floated silently far above him. Its single lens gleaming with a soft light. As usual, it was ignored by the monsters.
The Root Bear finally turned its back to him. Its attention was momentarily fixed on a patch of glowing fungal spores. Clinging to a fallen log. A perfect opportunity.
Nightclown activated [Sprint!]. He shot forward. A tiny grey projectile. The world blurred around him. The ferns became green streaks. The soil became a brown smear.
His objective was just one. The Root Bear's head. Specifically, the base of its skull. Where the thick, fused earth met the powerful neck. A precise, blunt impact there, he hoped, would rattle its cartoon brain.
And initiate the daze status he needed for the increase success of [Steal!] attempt.
As he closed the distance, he noticed something. The bear's form was solid and earthy. But, it had subtle seams of light. Faint lines where the embedded roots and moss connected. These were like hidden weak points. Cartoonish structural vulnerabilities in its otherwise formidable defense.
He reached the bear's leg. A massive column of packed earth and root that felt like a small cliff.
With [Shrink!], it wasn't just his size that decreased. His weight was also reduced next to nothing. And his hare grip was surprisingly tenacious.
He scrambled up the thick root tendrils. His tiny hands easily found places to hold in the rough bark-like surface. The ascent was quick. A blur of motion fueled by pure adrenaline and trained agility.
He reached the bear's shoulder. A broad, flat expanse covered in dense moss. The bear's head was huge. Even for Nightclown in his normal size. But now, in his shrunk size, it felt a huge, moving boulder.
The bear let out another low growl. A rumble that shook through Nightclown's entire tiny body. Its head turned slightly. It had detected him.
This was it. He whirled his [Thunder Nunchaku]. Gripping it tightly. He jumped and turned back to his original size.
Focusing his aim, he brought the nunchaku down. With all the strength he could exert. Towards the back of the bear's head. BLAMM!
The sound was less of a thud. And more like a thrown rock hitting a larger, hardened surface. A shower of tiny earth shards and moss fragments erupted from the bear's head.
The Root Bear let out a startled, pained roar. A loud, guttural sound that echoed through the clearing.
The Root Bear reeled. Its massive head whipped around. Its glowing eyes wide with confusion and pain. Blinking stars circled and rotated around its head.
Perfect. It was dizzy. Nightclown quickly activated his [Steal!] skill. A quick, practiced motion. His hand, a blur of cartoon physics, reached out. Attempting to rob the [Sense Spinach].
He felt a faint resistance. Like pulling a stubborn carrot off the earth. Then a distinct cartoon 'POP!' sound echoed.
A small, green, leafy object materialized in his left hand. It was a single, vibrant green leaf. Imbued with a faint, shimmering aura.
[Successful attempt!]
[Item acquired: Sense Spinach]
Nightclown grinned widely. Relief washed over him. He got it! The mission was a success.
But the fight wasn't over. The [Dazed] status vanished from the Root Bear's interface. It let out a truly furious roar now. No longer dizzy. But... enraged.
Nightclown somersaulted backward. Retreating instantly. He needed distance. The bear was now fully aware of him. Its amber eyes locked onto his position with terrifying intensity.
It lunged, with its chaotic [Scrambling Pounce!]. An unpredictable, earth-shattering charge. This was brute force. Pure. Unadulterated. And arbitrary.
Nightclown used [Sprint!] again. Weaving through charge with masterful evasive maneuvers.
The bear was fast. Especially for its size. But it was not fast enough to catch such a small, agile target like him.
It tore through the bamboo trees. Sending bamboo chips and leaves flying. Its massive paws left craters in the soil.
"Alright, Big Guy!" Nightclown muttered. Observing the still-enraged beast from out-of-reach distance. "Let's party!"
With the [Sense Spinach] secured, Nightclown no longer needed to hold back. He no longer needed to worry about precise attack. Or risky stealth maneuvers.
He could unleash all he got completely. He spun at the [Thunder Nunchaku]. It hummed. Eager.
He began his assault. No more hiding. He used [Sprint!] again. Dashing forward. A grey blur. Aiming for the bear's legs.
The Root Bear swiped a massive paw. But Nightclown was too fast. He ducked under it, then unleashed a rapid flurry of strikes with the [Thunder Nunchaku]. Against its thick, root-covered hind leg.
CRACK! CRACK! THWACK!
Each strike against the earthen hide of the Root Bear had built a small amount of [Toon Momentum]. The nunchaku seemed to glow brighter with each impact.
The bear roared. More in annoyance than in pain. A deep, resonant sound this time. It turned. Trying to bring its full weight to bear on Nightclown. But he was already moving.
He pivoted. Using [Sprint!] to zip around to its other leg. Delivering another series of rapid, blunt impacts. Never stopping.
THWACK! CRACK! CRACK! BANG!
The numbers of strikes brought by his [Toon Momentum] kept rising. The [Thunder Nunchaku] was now visibly arcing with small, red sparks.
The Root Bear was starting to feel the repeated punishment. Despite its immense durability. Its movements became slightly sluggish. Its growls punctuated by snarls of frustration.
The earth of its body was tough. But it was not invincible against repeated blunt force trauma. Each strike chipped away at its composure. And its physical integrity.
The bear lashed out with [Root Whip!]. Massive, gnarled roots were snaking out with surprising speed. Randomly attacked its surrounding.
Nightclown saw it coming. He activated not just [Sprint!]. But also [Stretch!]. Extending his body into a cartoonish, paper thin flat body. Making himself just narrow enough to slip through the gaps between the whipping roots.
He danced past the attack. Rapid. Untouchable. Then snapped back to his normal shape. Perfectly uninjured. And still managed to deliver a couple of strikes.
THWACK! CRACK!
"Get Faster, Big Guy!" He taunted. Immediately launching into another attack. Striking the bear's side. The nunchaku crashed against its earthy ribs. The blows radiating a low, thunderous hum.
The Root Bear responded by attempting another [Scrambling Pounce!]. It lunged forward. A surprising burst of speed from such a massive creature. It covered several yards in a single bound. Aiming to crush Nightclown beneath its bulk.
Nightclown had already anticipated this though. He used his speed to sidestep sharply to the side. He created enough distance to avoid the initial impact.
But, he stretched his hand and grabbed the monster's shoulder. Being carried by its lunge. Not willing to create too wide distance and lose the [Toon Momentum] build-up.
As the bear stopped its pounce, he attempted to land as many hits as possible. He hammered away at its back, legs, and earthen flanks.
CRACK! THWACK! THUD! The sound was a rapid-fire percussion of metal on earth. The red arcs on the nunchaku grew brighter. More intense. A distinct electric hum filled the air. Nightclown felt the raw energy building. Ready to be unleashed.
The Root Bear shook itself. Quite damaged by the rapid blunt attacks. But it was growing more dangerous. It started to glow faintly.
Nightclown immediately assumed that it was the tell-tale sign of its [Recovery Nap!] ability. It was attempting to heal!
"Not on my watch!" Nightclown yelled.
THWACK! CRACK! THWACK!
The nunchaku landed several more hits. It was now a dazzling vortex of electric red glow. Crackling with contained power.
He spun the weapon. Building its kinetic energy. The air around him was distorted with the force.
"Take this, Big Guy!"
With a primal yell, Nightclown jumped, rotated on air, and unleashed the stored momentum energy. [Thunder Blast!].
A wave of concussive force erupted from the nunchaku. Imbued with sonic vibrations and blunt trauma. It was a direct, concentrated burst of energy that smashed into the Root Bear's head.
CRACK-BOOOM!
The impact was immediate and devastating.
The Root Bear let out an agonizing, grinding roar. Unlike any sound it had made before. The earth of its head exploded outwards. Sending shards of rock, clumps of moss, and splintered roots flying in a wide radius.
The glow flickered and died. Its attempt at [Recovery Nap!] was brutally interrupted.
The bear staggered backward. Its massive body swayed precariously. A large, gaping hole now marred its head. Revealing swirling, dark-brown energy akin to rich soil.
Its glowing amber eyes dimmed. Flickering like dying embers. It tried to let out another roar. But it was cut short. Dissolving into a gurgling, crumbling sound.
Nightclown watched as the Root Bear began to disintegrate. The embedded roots retracted. Snapping back into the ground. The clumps of moss withered and fell away.
Its body was no longer held together by the mysterious cartoon essence that animated it. It began to collapse in on itself. Dissolving into a pile of rich, dark earth. And coins.